“Hi, Nana! Did you bring a gift for me and my brother?”

That was one of the first things my granddaughter asked me when I picked her up recently. We were going to see The Three Little Pigs as part of my plan to shower her with experiences instead of gifts.

I said, “No, honey. I didn’t. I came here to take you out. We’re going to have fun together!”

And she was okay with that. I think at first she was a little disappointed, because I started out spoiling her with a present every time I saw her  because that’s what my parents did to my kids. And I thought, Does being a grandmother mean I should bring a gift for her every time?

Well, we had a wonderful time. First we had lunch, then we got our nails done, and then we met my other daughter and granddaughter and went to the show. It was an interactive play that was just adorable. Then we went back to my other daughter’s place and the kids ate dinner. It was a really nice afternoon.

Don’t get me wrong…I haven’t stopped buying gifts but I’ve come to realize that experiences are much more fulfilling. It’s one of the new habits I put in place since I started Money Coaching and I like it.

I’m looking forward to my birthday this year. I asked my daughters if they would want to see a show with me sans husbands, and they were both thrilled with that idea. We’re going to go see Come From Away on  the night of my birthday. It will be a bit of an extravagance, because I splurged on really good seats, but you know what? It’s okay, because it’s going to create a great memory.

What are you doing to create memories with your friends and family?