November 2019 |Issue No. 6
THE CHARTROOM
Twice a month travel news from Charting Memories Travel
What a wonderful time of year!
It is hard to believe that November is half over. Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away. Walking through any retail store and you would think Christmas was next week. Black Friday may be the official start of the shopping season, but the shelves are full and the sales have already started.
I was out in the stores yesterday and some of the shoppers are already looking stressed. We all want to find that perfect gift for each member of our family and for our friends. We picture beautifully wrapped gifts under the perfectly decorated tree. Christmas morning is an exciting time knowing that our loved ones are going to light up when they open their gifts and there will be talk of that item for months and years to come. (I may have already watched too many Hallmark Christmas movies).
The reality of gift giving might be a little different than what we picture in our minds. We thumb through sale flyers and then plan our routes around town and through each store so that we can grab the best deals before they sell out. I’m not sure how much thought goes into the actual items. I know that I can’t remember most of what I gave last year nor can I remember what I received.
Having Fun in Hell
Thinking back, I recall only a few items that I received at Christmas. I received a hand made plaque with with a loving message from a person who is no longer in my life. Santa sent me Teddy the the teddy bear who is still living with me. Of course I received my fair share of clothes; most of which did not fit or match my style.
The things that I remember about the holidays are the things that I did with my family and friends. I remember stealing home made ravioli thinking they were cookies. I remember sitting around the table playing games and telling stories. I remember going to Shipshewana with family and friends where we sat around the hotel laughing until our stomachs hurt. I remember getting together with friend to cook dinner, dance, drink and laugh. The things that I will always remember about the Holidays have nothing to do with things. It is the people and the experiences that I will never forget.
This year I propose that you do something different and give the gift of experiences. Do things together and make memories that will last a life time. You might do something as simple as having game night or it might be a trip with family or friends. The gift of travel can bring your loved ones together. Let me help you plan a fun and unique ways to present the trip so that there is something fun under the tree to open on Christmas morning.
Give me a call or send me a message and we can work together to plan the perfect trip whether that be a short Caribbean cruise, guided trip across Europe, a once in a life-time African safari or a few days at a Florida theme park. I’m here to help make your Holidays magical and make sure that they are not soon forgotten.
Keep Charting Memories
Drew