With Christmas here, I love the act of giving. But hey, it’s also wonderful to receive. Who can say how many gifts I’ve received from loving family members and friends? I lose track every year.

One problem I come across on Christmas is sensory overload. Lots of gifts, so little time to explore them all right away. This leads to a feeling of unfulfillment. Sure, all the gifts look pretty sitting there, but what does it matter if you can’t immediately appreciate them all?

The truth is, appreciation comes with time. You can’t possibly use or experience each gift right away. Your mind needs time to adjust to these new “treats.” The best way to appreciate gifts is to pretend they don’t even exist. Live your normal life, with little expectations. Then, when you’re bogged down and tired of the repetitive nature of life, treat yourself to a gift. This will maximize the enjoyment you receive from the gift.

I suggest putting each Christmas gift into a closet, or somewhere safe. Go about your normal day, and do all the things you had originally planned. You’ll probably notice your mind isn’t distracted with petty gifts. You can get things done without being tempted to “play” with your new toys.

Then, when all is quiet with the world, and you have some peaceful moments to yourself, go ahead and use/experience one of your gifts. Your mind will no longer be on sensory overload, and will more effectively absorb the gift’s true value.

And remember, gifts are just things, as I quote American Beauty now (the most “quotable” movie of my time):

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of my readers.