1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning, 2 00:00:10,720 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,600 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: tip is to do a gift debrief. Figure out what 4 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: worked and what didn't work in your gift giving this 5 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: past holiday season. Make notes to guide you in the future. 6 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:36,159 Speaker 1: So we are now about a month past Christmas. For 7 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: those who celebrate Christmas or any other December gift giving holiday, 8 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: you may be glad to be done with major gift 9 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: giving occasions for the next eleven months, but a little 10 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: reflection right now can save future you a fair amount 11 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: of stress. If you've got kids, you can reflect on 12 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 1: what they received and what and what didn't. What are 13 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: they still playing with now one month later? What turned 14 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,800 Speaker 1: out to be a dud? Did anything create a lot 15 00:01:11,840 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: of excitement when it was opened? Did other siblings looked 16 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:21,759 Speaker 1: wistfully at something or did you misjudge interests? What about 17 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 1: the volume of presents? Was it just right or was 18 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: it overwhelming? For other folks in your life. It might 19 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: help to write down what you gave and what you 20 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: received while these items are still relatively fresh in your memory. 21 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: It is easy to find yourself wondering come November whether 22 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: you gave your nephew a duffelbag last year. Ten months hence, 23 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,440 Speaker 1: you will know that you thought about giving him one, 24 00:01:52,920 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: but you might not remember what you decided a month 25 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: after the holidays, though you probably still remember, and you 26 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: can also see if that Duffel bag is getting any 27 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: use by this point, and thus evaluate whether it was 28 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: a good idea or not. It can also be easy 29 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: to forget which friends and family members you exchanged gifts with, 30 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:21,519 Speaker 1: or even cards with. No one likes the awkward dance 31 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,919 Speaker 1: when one person gives a gift and the other doesn't, 32 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,440 Speaker 1: so write it all down. If you've still got the 33 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 1: holiday card somewhere, and let's face it, it is entirely 34 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: possible that you still do, write down the names and 35 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 1: addresses in a spreadsheet. Next November, this will be all 36 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: good to go. You might also start creating a list 37 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: of gift ideas. The upside of doing this so soon 38 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 1: after December is that you can remember what was a 39 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: hit for some people and transfer these ideas to other 40 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: similar folks. If you loved the Duffel bag, so you 41 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: buy one next year for your godson. If one set 42 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 1: of older relatives really liked a digital picture frame. Probably 43 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 1: another set will like it next year. If you particularly 44 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 1: enjoyed a bottle of wine from a colleague, well now 45 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 1: you've got the name of a winemaker to order in 46 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: bulk from for other people's gifts next year. And if 47 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: something didn't work out, well, now you know. I will 48 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: note that I gave my husband something I really thought 49 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: he would love, and as of a few weeks post Christmas, 50 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: it was still sitting there in the room where we 51 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: opened presents. I thought it made a lot of sense 52 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,200 Speaker 1: as a gift, but I guess he just wasn't as 53 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: into it as I imagined he would be. I now 54 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 1: know to look in a different direction for gifts in 55 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 1: future years. Santa isn't the only one who benefits from 56 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: making the list and checking it twice. Keeping a list 57 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: of gifts given or gifts received helps you make smarter 58 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: choices in the future, wasting less money and making people 59 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 1: happier in the meantime. This is Laura, Thanks for listening, 60 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 61 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,560 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 62 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 63 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. At Before Breakfast Pod. 64 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: That's b E the number four than Breakfast pod. You 65 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 1: can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast podcast 66 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: at iHeartMedia dot com that before Breakfast is spelled out 67 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: with all the letters. Thanks so much, should I look 68 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:05,359 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 69 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:10,799 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 70 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.