Howdy y'all! My adult son will most likely be spending Christmas completely alone for the second year in a row. He is a chef in New York and can't take the time to come home (and we can afford to all travel to be with him since we already scheduled a trip for Thanksgiving and we have a lot of other family members we have to worry about at home.) My son has few friends in NYC and last year he spent the day completely alone. It broke my heart.
We sent him a box full of gifts and sweets last year which I'm sure he appreciated, but I'm hoping that you lovely mamas out there might have some creative and cool ideas how to send him a fun (possibly interactive) Christmas in a box.
I should mention that he has kind of a depressed personality. He's not clinically depressed, but he has a tough schedule and he's also lived and worked in Manhattan for the last seven years - which can wear a person down. I guess I'm trying to get at that he's kind of a different kind of guy. And he's 28.
Anyway - any creative thoughts or nifty ideas would be more than welcome. So thank you in advance!
PS - I appreciate everyone's opinions about how some people appreciate being alone or that I might suggest he do this or that, but I'm really just hoping to get some interesting ideas on what I can do for him. Thank you again!!!
Like Diane, my first thought was if you send a box early, you could create an Advent Calendar of sorts. A large box with 25 smaller wrapped and numbered parcels inside. He can open 1 per day. Some items can be cheap and simple like a favorite candy bar. Others could be useful and funny like a package of socks. Items relevant to his interests. A gift card for a shop he frequents, etc.
How about a version of those Advent calendars that have 24 little boxes/compartments to open? You could send something to arrive on November 30th, with 24 small boxes or envelopes. You don't need gift boxes, although you can use the stuff you save for "just in case" occasions - but you can also use envelopes, little bags made out of seasonal cellophane, even things like toilet paper tubes wrapped in Christmas paper. Gifts can include anything:
- $1 lottery tickets (spread them out, maybe 1 per week)
- Christmas candy or cookies - homemade or his store-bought favorites from childhood
- a few postage stamps and addressed envelopes (to you, to Grandma...)
- an article you think he would enjoy, or a cartoon
- a "coupon" for anything you can do - homemade meal (I know he's a chef, but hey, you're his mom), a board game night around the fire, a TV movie together whenever he gets time off, and so on - be creative
- small toiletries - travel size toothpaste, shave cream, deodorant, lip balm, etc.
- a gift card for stuff he might like, even if it's iTunes or a game for his phone. A silly $1.99 check would be funny because you thought of him.
- homemade jelly or pickles from a local farm stand. He's a chef, but he can't get hometown stuff like that.
Have fun with it!
Just a thought - if you wanted to post the name of his restaurant, maybe some of us NYCers could go and make sure he gets a good tip or at least a smiling face!
As for the box - maybe send him a Christmas tradition you had when he was young? Like, a new pair of pajamas for Christmas Eve, a copy of a Christmas book/movie, hot cocoa mix, cookies "for Santa", etc?
After college I moved to Alaska and that first Christmas I could not afford to fly home. I remember my aunt sent a christmas box with a little tree that I could put on a table. I came with tiny decorations to hang on it and a little garland to wrap around it. It was super charming and made me happy. I still have it.
Maybe a quirky idea, but add a note on each gift "do not open until 10 am" - "do not open until 11:00 am" etc. so he'd be opening gifts throughout the day.
Have family members write down favorite holiday memories. The kinds of stories you would tell and laugh about if you were together in person. (Or use video if that's easier.)
I would also suggest thinking about what your holiday traditions are and whether you could send them or something related (a food you always have, ornaments or decorations you always use). But you know your son better than I do so you should consider whether that would make him happy and nostalgic, or sad that he was missing them.
I like D. B's advent calendar idea. Very good way to let him have something to look forward to every day.
Have you seen those "man boxes/crates/cans"? Not sure that would be a good fit, based on your description, but there might be some ideas that you can kind of steal for your own man crate :) I would also think about sending a ticket to something he can do that he enjoys - something with an open ended date or a date that he can pick himself since he has such a busy schedule.
Good luck!
While it's great to get a little special something for the holidays, I can't help thinking that Christmas shouldn't quite come in a box.
How about you send him "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (the animated one is the best as far as I'm concerned) and then celebrate with him when his busy season slows down?
Seeing as he works with food, I'm not sure he'd want a gift of food but maybe he'd like something as long as he didn't have to cook it or if it's a special treat (maple candy is a fave of mine).
I've known people who work for delivery or for the post office around the holidays and when it's over - they just want to sleep.
Was there anything you gave him each year for Christmas? I know my parents gave us Jelly Bellies every year in our stockings. She still gives them to us and sends my oldest brother in KY some as well I know that is like that thing that makes me the happiest when I see them. Find things that he really likes that are small enough to ship.
You guys are so great!!! Thank you so much! I love the idea of sending a box with something for each day leading up to Christmas. And I looked at the mancrate website and saw a couple of things that I think he would really like. Y'all are awesome. I'm already feeling less blue! Thank you!
