Finding The Perfect Gift
It’s that time of year, as they say. Which means most of us have been scrambling to shop for the “perfect gift” and, once we’ve found it, wrap it up and get it to the recipient before it’s too late.
But what can be considered the best kind of Christmas gift? A piece of jewellery like a plain rope necklace, or a subscription to a fancy service like monthly massages? All I know is that it should be something that will be appreciated often, at least more than once (unless it’s food!). For instance, when you gift a personalized drum wrap (like the ones you find at https://rockskins.com/collections/drum-wraps) to a drummer, they could find it very useful and also might appreciate the thought process behind it. Something thoughtful! That’s what matters in the end. Because it’s not about the price. It’s about leaving a lasting impression on the person who receives it.
Honestly, I’m tired of stressing out over gift-giving. This year, I didn’t do very much Christmas shopping. I had grand plans to shop online for corporate gifts singapore to give my employees. But instead, I thought I’d throw them a dinner party. That’s what I decided to focus on this Christmas: what’s important to me (to everyone) during the holidays! It could be spending time with employees/colleagues, friends and family, enjoying the unfolding of conversations and the stories told, the laughs and good times, and of course, the new memories we’ll make together.
I started thinking about what kind of gift would fit these criteria, and I realized it was smack dab in front of me this whole time. I tune in to it every day for news and music: HPR-2.
All of the things I cherish about the holidays I can find on the Hawaii Public Radio, KIPO 89.3FM. It’s where all of Hawaii can find quality local programming like the daily morning talk show The Conversation or veteran DJ Nick Yee’s groove-heavy Bridging The Gap. These homegrown shows, paired mindfully with syndicated content, such as current events quiz show Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me or storytelling staple The Moth Radio Hour, create a captivating environment of news, stories, music and stimulating conversation over the airwaves.
The perfect gift, then, would be an HPR membership, I decided. It starts at just $60 a year (same price as a Kindle). But why does this make a good gift? Because to donate money to HPR is to help sustain Hawaii’s only public radio station (probably the only non-commercial outlet on air, aside from UH Manoa’s KTUH). It would mean keeping alive a major source of inspiration, intellect and inquiry for our community. (I don’t need to say it, but you’d be strapped to find content like HPR’s on commercial stations, where Top 40 tunes rule all hours of the day.)
Gifting someone (even yourself) a membership to Hawaii Public Radio becomes more than a gift. It becomes an investment to everyone around you. It gives us a platform to discuss ideas with our neighbors. It connects us to the world – and reminds us of our role in it. It gives our community a chance to express itself without commercial influence. (Plus, it’s the only station that offers Honolulu a regular evening jazz program.)
One of my friends came up with the idea of giving a spotify code plaque to a loved one. It’s a relatively new product on the market in which a QR code of your favorite song is etched on a small item, and all you have to do is scan your phone to play that song. If you enjoy music and have a hidden song that you and your significant other share, this might be the perfect gift. I’m still not sure about which one to choose.
I think I’ll go with HPR because to support a forum that fuels our diverse community through equally diverse programming is a gift to all this holiday season. Learn more about Hawaii Public Radio at http://hpr2.org.
For more from Roger, check out his blog at alohagotsoul.com.
