We’ve all heard the sayings, “big things come in small packages” and “good things come to those who wait,” but how do these things measure up with last minute holiday shopping? Often the things that have the most value or quality are small; the size of something does not always properly indicate its value. This week’s blog will look at three highlighted sales items as individual categories time, travel, and record/note keeping.

Time

Amid the hustle and bustle of the season, it is essential to remember that the most important part of the holidays is spending quality time with those you love. The people (and animals) you care about the most are the ones you should try to spend the most time with especially during the holidays. Mental Floss shares 11 examples of ways families and loved ones can stay better connected. Some of these ideas include video chatting, playing board games together (in person or online), volunteering together, and cooking a shared meal together. There is also the literal gift of time that you can give a loved with this Low Vision Watch. This gold tone black face low vision watch is a stylish and durable timepiece. With battery operated precision quartz accuracy and large numbers (1-12), the face measures 1 1/4 inches wide. Choose from an expansion band or black leather band.

Travel

You don’t have to have a National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation to make lifetime memories. Looking for things to do and places to see that can be enjoyed by family members of all ages and abilities can seem a bit daunting but it doesn’t have to be. This article from Stanford University has a few suggestions including taking a cruise or renting a house. A cruise ship offers so many activities for all ages on and off the ship. The many options give you choices not only for what to do, but even how many hours you actually want to spend together. Another option is annually renting a house through websites such as vrbo or airbnb. The best thing about these sites is you can virtually check out the area and only look at those places that meet your needs (handicap accessible, pet-friendly, etc.). If you’re more of a homebody spending time near and around your house or a loved one’s house is always an acceptable option as well. The article further states that “ as adults, we often try to think of something “new and different” for each year; however, children often prefer to revisit the same tradition and build enduring rituals that may be as simple as a game night or a favorite dessert. This notion is also valid with the “stay-cation” model.” Don’t forget to pack your Travel Talking Clock no matter which option you choose. In addition to all the standard features, it offers a lively musical alarm or a cuckoo alarm, a snooze button, and an hourly chime that operates between 7 AM to 9 PM. A stand pops out when you slide the setting buttons cover off so you can rest it on your dresser.

Record/Note Keeping

Don’t forget to record events in your life as they are happening. It’s great to be in the moment with friends and family but taking a few photos or jotting down your thoughts just after can both be wonderful ways to preserve the memories you just made. If you’re not sure where to start or just enjoy hearing life stories of others the non-profit Story Corps is a great place to visit. Life stories can range from Officer Clemmons on Mister Rogers to a 12-year-old boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. Their mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. You can even have stories emailed to you each week to help remind you to record your own. After you check out the stories of others it may be less daunting to start the tradition with your own family. This 2014 New York Times article discusses one of the newer technologies available to keep a digital family history. Though the yearly subscription fee has gone up since the article was written the main takeaways is that Story Worth caters to both the technologically savvy and the technologically fearful alike. As with anything else, note keeping doesn’t have to be done on a large scale. This 20 second recording memo can help you remember the day to day things such as phone numbers, names, or lists of things to do. To see what’s currently on sale at ILA please sign up for our newsletter, view our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, or visit our website.