It’s no wonder that given the range of choices we have as far as sharing holiday cheer is concerned—and particularly given the onslaught of technology that seems to determine so much of giftgiving—people are turning back the hands of time to a simpler age when right now and everything were the province of the super wealthy only, or at least just the super-vain. Because the finest gifts, after all, simply need to be heartfelt, tailored to actual needs and desires, and ideally, memorable. This won’t necessarily narrow your choices substantially, but it should make imagining them more pleasurable. What about a special trip that your special someone has been wanting but either can’t afford or hasn’t had time to flesh out? A one-day racing course? A ride in a fighter jet? A week of cooking lessons? On a somewhat lesser financial scale, what about a shorter trip (of sorts)—a day at the spa alone or with someone else, or perhaps even a spa gift to a small group of loved ones or business associates? In a day and age of living our lives for and through just about anyone but ourselves—and as often as not through a social media prism—people have a real and actually quite concerning deficit of simple touch. The lack of physical interaction seems to be particularly acute among men, owing to anxiety surrounding any sort of platonic touch being misinterpreted as either an unwanted advance or an admission of vulnerability…or both.

I can personally vouch for this, as we have seen a recent uptick in spa day gift cards the likes of which we have never seen before. The reasons why treatments and particularly massages are gaining popularity are numerous, but include the fact that simple touch will almost instantly reduce anxiety, blood pressure, improve one’s general outlook, and provide a brand of sensory input that no amount of texting can begin to approximate. Whatever gift you choose, just be certain it comes from an abundance of love, concern, and understanding. Have a Blessed Holiday.