The Art of Giving

It’s finally here. You’ve been practicing for this since Jan 2, 2016. You’ve got this. You have mastered the look. That look. That look that says, Why, thank you so much, I absolutely love this gift!
We’ve all been there… The (hopefully) well-meaning gifter has blown the opportunity or maybe forgotten who they were giving the gift to. Whatever. It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you were important enough to be a giftee. Keeping that in mind, your friends at La Jolla Sports Club have a few ideas on how you become a solid gifter and never have to see that look on the other side.
- Being a good gifter started last year. Or last decade. Or whenever you started registering the person in front of you as a potential giftee. Make mental notes on their likes and dislikes, something that made them laugh or really struck a chord.
- Free and easy: Hugs are awesome gifts.
- The best gifts are enjoyed twice, once by the gifter giving something special, and again by the giftee receiving said gift.
- Pinterest boards are a great window into the giftee’s wants. Use and then reap the excitement.
- Amazon lists can be a lifesaver when you’re out of time.
- BUT if you have time, think of your favorite memory of the recipient and build on it. That time you stayed up too late watching a Rob Reiner movie marathon?
That time you suffered together in the charity race? That time you laughed until you cried reading the latest blog post from La Jolla Sports Club? Inside jokes and experiences make for some of the best, most personal and appreciated gifts.
- Include a hand-written note. We’ve written about this plenty of times before, but we humans are busy these days. A hand-written note will go a long, long way and add to the thoughtfulness you’ve already put into the gift.
So what now? Well, we’d be remiss if we didn’t say that the gift of health–née–life, is one helluva gift. La Jolla Sports Club Personal Trainers have been voted La Jolla’s #1 Personal Trainers and are well-suited for any and all skill levels. Grandma needs some balance training? Done. Johnny needs athletic conditioning for soccer tryouts. Sold. You want to treat yourself after the holiday snacks have taken their toll. Absolutely. You’re in good hands, just talk to the front desk for more details on session packages.
OK OK OK, so everybody in your family is incredibly fit… In no particular order, here are a few of our favorites around the village (some owned by your fellow LJSCers, so be sure to say hi!):
- Ascot Shop
- Geppetto’s Toys
- Warwick’s (Awesome! Just learned it’s the country’s oldest family-owned & operated bookstore)
- La Jolla’s Little Vitamin Shoppe
- Laura Gambucci
- Mia Brazilia (at LJSC or use coupon code ‘Kera’ at checkout on the website to get free shipping)
- Mitch’s Surf Shop
- Meanley & Son Ace Hardware
- Muttropolis
- Brick and Bell (gift cards or bag of beans for your coffee lover mmmmmmcoffee)
- Chiltonic (gift cards available)
- CJ Jewelers
- Lean and Green (gift cards available)
- Whisk-n-Ladle family of restaurants (gift cards available)
- Hi Sweetheart (trinkets, cards, cookbooks, etc; ‘a SUPER cute spot’ – Kera Murphy)
What’s your favorite gift to give? Have any good stories on seeing the dreaded giftface? Leave a note in the comments!
OK, that’s it for this post, see you next week!
// Your La Jolla Sports Club team