Sid and I try our best not to place an emphasis on material gifts during the Christmas season. Not only is it not what the holiday is about, but I much rather give (and receive) an experience-based gift like sending the kids to see Gami and Dada in South Carolina.

Thus, it probably doesn’t surprise you that Sid and I don’t go crazy when it comes to exchanging gifts between the two of us. Although we do set some time aside late on Christmas Eve without the kids to hang out and exchange presents, we typically set a $50-$75 limit. The gifts might be of the humble variety but they are always meaningful and are typically used for years.

I want to share a gift I got for Sid and a gift that Sid got for me.

In the South, all bedrooms seem to come equipped with ceiling fans. Not only do they give relief during humid and sweaty days, but they are also therapeutic to a degree. Sid swears by the fact that she can only go to sleep if there is some type of “white noise” in the background. The sound of a fan checks that box.

When we moved to Spokane, Sid figured out quickly that this area of the country doesn’t share the same fondness for ceiling fans that her neck of the woods did. Without a ceiling fan to switch on at night time, we went for the next best thing. In the four years that we have lived here, Sid and I have used a table fan we borrowed from my parents’ house. The 30-year-old artifact didn’t necessarily compare to a ceiling fan but it still managed to do the job by generating some coolness and plenty of noise.

But it was time for an upgrade.

A look at the new fan I got Sid for Christmas.

We gave Sloan the old table fan for her room because we got a pedestal fan for ours. I found the gift at Lowe’s as it gave my wife everything she wanted: better aesthetics, increased power, and more modes. But the absolute best part that made me a hero? It came with a remote control! If you only knew how many times we hopped into bed before realizing we forgot to turn on the fan. Now, Sid is able to control everything with the remote that rests on her bedside table.

A look at the fan set up.

Sid gave me a present that was probably even better than the fan. As some of my readers know, I am an avid journaler. My numerous journals that I have filled over the past 25 years are my most prized material possessions. However, if you look at my box of journals you will see that a lot of them are in rough shape. Because whatever journal I am using at the time goes everywhere with me, it tends to get beat up. Until this past Christmas, I would just always throw the journal unprotected into my bag.

Sid got me a case for my journal.

Well, for the first time ever, I now have a case for my journal. Sid bought me a Five Star case that was designed for a tablet but works perfectly for the types of journals I use. It even has a pouch for me to transport the special pens I write with. The case has already gotten a lot of use and it is offering my journal the protection it deserves.

A look at how my journal fits snuggly into the case that Sid got me.

Truly friends, life is about the little things. We couldn’t be more appreciative of our Christmas gifts. Don’t Blink.