If you’re stressing over what to buy your loved ones for the upcoming holidays, here’s my proposal: Exchange those knock-off Rolex watches for the gift of gratitude instead.
For me, this time of year always brings in a feeling of optimism. As I walk the streets of my town, I am surrounded by twinkling winter lights, holiday songs and elaborate window displays of gifts shimmering against studio lights. If only there were something as magical as the season itself to give in the form of the perfect gift.
I think back to the holiday season in 2020 — trapped in the house, isolated from friends and afraid of going out. The joy I usually have this time of year just wasn’t there.
During one of my Zoom classes, I took out a piece of paper to doodle and stay awake. Soon after, the sound of a vehicle stopping in front of my house caught my attention. I peered out the window to see our mail carrier dropping off a package.
That mail carrier risked his own health to get us what we needed over the holidays, I realized. As much as I complained about being isolated at home, at least I was safe with minimal worries of getting sick, thanks to him.
Still distracted from my online class, I pulled out another piece of paper. “Dear Mailman,” I started. Before I knew it, I had written a thank you note to express my gratitude for his service.
The next day, bright and early, I ran to the mailbox to ensure that he would receive it. I wasn’t expecting a response, but when I returned to retrieve the mail the day after, there was a small yellow sticky note peeking out from behind the envelopes. I picked up the stack of mail and peeled it off.
“Dear Nikki, thank you for your kind note,” it said.
Reading the mailman’s note, I couldn’t help but smile. My intention was to make him feel seen, and he ended up returning that gift right back to me.
That experience taught me how strong the power of words can be. So in recent years, instead of stressing out at the mall for hours to try and find the perfect gift for loved ones — and coming out with a singular Bath and Body Works scented hand sanitizer — I’ve decided to put art and writing to good use.
For instance: A couple years ago, I had a meaningful French teacher whom I knew liked to sail. To show my gratitude, I drew her a picture of a sailboat, labeled all its parts and attributed each to a quality I admired about her. That same year, I gifted a friend a book full of photos of our lunchtime walks in school to celebrate our memories together.
As the holiday season approaches, I challenge you to put aside the last-minute mall trips and instead reflect on what makes you grateful for the people around you. Each of us has the power to use our words to express appreciation and show we care. That power is what produces the greatest gifts this time of year.
In my psychology class this quarter, we talked about how happiness and life satisfaction comes from two things: spending time with loved ones and finding broader meaning in what you do. It does not come from materialistic wealth or status — in other words, we can quit trying to be bougie.
Every year since my experience with the mail carrier, I have left a note in the mailbox. We’re getting older, but that doesn’t mean our gifts have to get more materialistically extravagant. This holiday season, if you love them, let them know, let them know, let them know.
Nikki Prasad is a Medill freshman. She can be contacted at [email protected]. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to [email protected]. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.
