I have long advocated for spending money on gifts that create memories. Maybe it is part of growing older and hopefully a bit wiser but I also, according to family and friends, have never been materialistic. Things mean far less than creating memories and having those cherished ‘moments’. From local museums that allow attendees with proof of residency to attend free, and hikes along fossil-strew paths, to summer concerts in the park, there are a million things you can do to create special moments that are priceless and yet cost next to nothing.
A great idea for younger kids is to stage a Teddy Bear picnic. All you need is decent weather, a blanket, access to a patch of grass and a picnic that you bake up yourself. Some of my daughter’s fondest memories as a child is when I’d set up a Teddy Bear picnic. She would fetch her favorite bear, the infamous Phat Bear, and we’d get dressed up and have proper British tea complete with the baked goods. It took next to nothing to make sugar and cream cheese and crustless cucumber sandwiches along with mini scones, tiny muffins and some weak tea or lemonade for the kids. Add a crispy cookie to the mix and we were cooking. A slumber party invite to our house was, as a result, wildly popular and much sought after. I would break out the good China, and nobody ever chipped so much as a teacup. Her little friends were incredibly careful and respectful. Even if it rained, we would simply move the picnic indoors and spread-out blankets in the living room. This was decades ago and yet my daughter still remembers those Teddy Bear picnic parties very fondly.
I have taken many a trip that cost a lot of money and yes, of course, we have fond memories of those trips but some of the most profound moments during those trips actually cost very little. A very inexpensive afternoon spent at the British museum for example. Grabbing some fish and chips outside of the Tower of London and realizing it was my partner’s first traditional British fish and chips because he eagerly asked me if I could recreate this classic dish at home. For the record, I did and I do upon occasion. Recreating food memories brings back some very fond moments.
One of my favorite ways to commemorate events is to take a ton of pictures, pick one or more of the best and, using a thrifted frame bought from a local charity shop, gift a framed photo to my family or friends who attended the event. It’s a very cost-effective way to remind everyone of what a great time we had.
Another thing we love to do is play croquet in the backyard. The set was inexpensive and when friends come over in warmer months, we will play randomly. Our beloved pit bull Annabelle will merrily chase the balls although at all other times she apparently has zero retriever instincts. Sometimes my partner will break out the grill and bar-be-que away while we play. I always ask him to grill extra proteins for the rest of the week so we can enjoy that smoky goodness more than once.
Because we live near the ocean, seafood is quite abundant and I am forever saving clam and oyster shells from thrifty seafood meals. I will clean and dry them thoroughly and when the grandkids come to visit, I’ll break out the art supplies and we will decorate them. It is a fun art project, and the girls love to participate. We also love to hit the nearby beach during low tide and collect shells. The grandkids will then display them in a thrifted decorative jar, another reminder of a wonderful time.
The point is to keep those memories flowing by creating special events that are inexpensive but cherished. A little effort nets some amazing times for sure.
the house behind 