logo tagline
December 2015
The holiday season has arrived, and with it, good cheer, spending time with friends and family - and the search for the best way to show your love and appreciation for the special people in your lives. From all of us here at Expert Access, we'd like to wish you a joyful holiday season, and we hope these ideas will help you spend less time brainstorming, and more time enjoying the things that really matter!
Creative Gift Ideas for Friends, Family or Clients
 
No matter who you're trying to reach with your holiday gift, we've compiled a list of creative ideas that let you show your true appreciation for the people in your lives.

One of the most personal options - that doesn't require shopping - is to give of yourself. If you've got a specialized skill set, use it to offer a unique gift to someone in your life. An accountant might offer a free financial consultation, for example, or a consultant might help someone with a project or teach someone a new skill.
Even if you don't have a specialized skill set, you can still give your time to help someone with a project or special event. Your simple willingness to lend an extra set of hands can show your appreciation for someone - without having to set foot in a retail store.

For friends and family, you can offer a lovely personalized gift
by framing a meaningful photograph, or putting together a photo album. In today's digital age, we have a plethora of pictures at our fingertips, but there's still something to be said for a framed photo sitting on a side table to bring a smile to someone's face, or an album they can flip through for a walk down memory lane. One easy way to give the gift of memories is by using an online service that can make photo album books and other photo gifts. These services offer an easy way to create a thoughtful gift that your loved ones will cherish.

Another great gift idea for family is to assemble a special collection to chronicle your family history. You could put together a book of photographs, letters and important documents as a gift for a family member or loved one. Or, for the more culinarily inclined, put together a book of family recipes - that way your grandma's signature comfort food dish will never be lost to the passing of time.
Fair Trade and Alternative Shopping Ideas        
  
With the increasing commercialization of the holidays, some people are turned off by the idea of shopping at big box retail stores. With a fair trade or alternative shopping option, you can enjoy your holiday shopping knowing that you're giving money to a deserving recipient.

Start by supporting your local businesses. Small mom and pop stores are having an increasingly difficult time competing with online shopping options, so showing your support for a local shop is a great way to find a gift and give back to your community. Also, a funky local boutique might have the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list - something you'd never think to look for online, but just screams "Aunt Jane" when you see it in the shop.

Another great place to browse is the marketplace of unique, handmade items you'll find on Etsy. You'll find creative gifts here in a broad range of categories and styles, and the money goes directly to the person who makes them. If you shop with enough lead time, many of these items can be personalized for your special someone.

Finally, you can try an online fair trade shop, such as www.serrv.org. This online store offers unique, fair-trade gifts from around the world. These fair trade items help pay a working wage and foster robust local economies in small communities.
Charitable Giving      
 
In this time of celebration, it's good to be able to give back by making a contribution to a charitable organization. This is also a great gift idea for someone who doesn't need anything - you can make a contribution in their name to an organization relevant to their interests. Some great charitable options include:
  • Waterkeeper Alliance - an organization working to advocate for clean water worldwide
  • National Park Service - make a donation to your favorite park, a park friends group or the National Park Foundation to support these wonderful outdoor spaces
  • Heifer International - a wonderful charity that helps people around the world, giving you the option to donate directly, or 'buy' a goat, water pump, honeybees or stove - gifts that change a life by providing basic necessities or sustainable resources
  • Donate directly to a person or cause you want to support, such as micro-lending resource Kiva.org which lends funds to small businesses around the world, or visit www.donorschoose.org to support teachers and classrooms.
  • Donate to your local food bank, your local homeless shelter, or another local program to help people who are struggling at this time of year
  • Don't forget to check whether your workplace or an organization you belong to matches charitable donations. This is a great way to stretch your dollars, although they may only match to certain organizations, so it's important to check this option when you're deciding who to support
Take Time for You         
  
The holiday season can be a stressful time of year. There's an endless list of tasks to accomplish, and there are also work parties, parties with friends and family, religious observances and other special events that clamor for your precious time. Don't get overwhelmed this month, and give yourself time to breathe. Think about where you've come from this year, and identify goals you want to accomplish next year. Then, you can make a road map to get you there!
Happy Holidays from Expert Access! 
 
From our family here at Expert Access, we want to take a moment to thank you and wish you and yours a happy holiday. We're grateful to be a part of your lives and your success, and we look forward to helping you achieve new goals as we start the New Year!
 

One Call

Single Point of Contact

Worldwide Network

 

Expert Access, LLC

401-635-0180

 

info@expert-access.com 

www.expert-access.com

Issue: 33 

Expert Access, LLC
Creative Gift Ideas
Fair Trade and Alternative Shopping
Charitable Giving
Take Time for You


 Your One Source for

Expert Consultants Worldwide


Our pre-screened professionals have established reputations in many fields, including:

  

· Business Simulations

· Change Management

· Coaching

· Culture Change

·  Curriculum & Instructional Design

·  Diversity & Inclusion

·  E-Learning

·  Executive Coaching

·  Experiential Learning

·  Human Resources

·  Keynote Delivery

·  Leadership Development

·  Presentation Skills

·  Project Management

·  Sales & Marketing

·  Talent Management

·  Team Development

·   Training & Facilitation

...and more!

  


  "I am dedicated to providing the best resources and most appropriate programs to meet your individual consulting, development, and training needs, and to insure the highest quality, professional delivery of these programs."

 
Patricia Schneider
 President  

Expert Access provides a value-added service for which you never pay an extra fee. Our world-class professionals, consultants, coaches and trainers commission us for marketing, contracting, and managing the delivery of their services.

 
 

Expert Access
Your One-Source
Resource for
World-Class People,
 Programs, and
Services.

To learn more about Expert Access and the many programs
and services we offer,
call us at
401-635-0180, or
visit us online at
Expert-Access.com.