Cultural Corner
Give a Cultural Gift
(Very little storage space required)
By
Lori Hope Baumel
Great show, great seats! Photo: LH Baumel
We always have much to be grateful for. Commercial as it is, the best part of the holiday season is spending time with friends and family. Most of us feel beholden to exchange gifts with those you care for. Or, let’s admit it, there are those you are obligated to exchange presents with as well. Regardless of the reason, I want to make you aware of the types of gifts that require very little space, yet fill the heart in a big way.
December has too many holiday happenings to list. If you’re an Around Wellington reader then you are Internet savvy enough to explore the multitude of things going on in our county. Therefore, my “top five” list will concentrate on suggestions that will entertain and perhaps introduce a friend or family member to the arts.
There are many options for expanding the creative horizons of your loved ones. Perhaps treat them to a jewelry making, painting or pottery class. A museum membership runs about $75 but lasts an entire year. The possibilities are endless. While you’re there, treat yourself to something cultural as well. Either that or drop Santa (or your Hanukkah/Kwanza shopper) a few hints that you’d love to see a show or take a class or two.
On behalf of the Baumel family, I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season filled with music, laughter and love.
Live… Go… Do!
Top Six Cultural Gift Ideas For December
In no particular order, the following suggestions can meet any budget. They’re eco-friendly as well!
1) Theater Tickets:
The Kravis Center, Duncan Theater and other Palm Beach County venues are offering extraordinary entertainment from all over the world. Ticket prices start at around $25 depending on the show. You can purchase a gift certificate and have the recipient pick their own show(s) or you can purchase tickets to individual shows online or directly from the box office.
For more information go to:
www.palmbeachstate.edu/theatre/duncan-theatre/
2) AMC or Regal Movie theater gift card:
December is the month that the big Oscar contenders are released in theaters. I love giving the gift of a night out. Recently, I purchased some movie gift cards at Walgreens. If affordable, couple the movie card with a gift certificate to one of our fabulous local restaurants. If you’re really feeling generous… offer to babysit, if the recipients are a young couple with children, or help care for an elderly parent for the evening.
3) ITunes gift cards:
ITunes gift cards can be purchased for as little as $10. It’s often difficult to pin down musical taste. Let your recipient choose the music they want to listen to. Everyone loves to pick his or her own playlist!
4) Audio or E-books:
It’s as simple as sending an email. Go to Amazon or Audible.com and give the gift of an e-book or audio book to an avid reader. If you know someone who prefers to listen to books during their daily commute or on an upcoming long trip, then an audio book would be the perfect gift.
5) Music lessons:
Do you now somebody who wants to play an instrument like piano, guitar or ukulele? Why not treat them to an introductory music lesson or two. Village Music, near the Wellington Mall or Melody Acres Music in the Wellington Country Plaza offers experienced, top-notch music teachers who take on students of all ages. Perhaps you know an adult who studied piano as a child and wants to pick it up again. Here’s the perfect opportunity to bring musical joy to those who wouldn’t necessarily buy a package of lessons for themselves.
6) Bootz Culture Camp VIP Passes:
Bootz Culture Camp in Wellington combines art and travel, bringing fun “destination” art classes to all ages. Check out our AW Spotlight story about Bootz Culture Camp! A VIP Pass to Bootz Culture Camp, valued at $30, makes a great cultural gift!
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Lori Hope Baumel and her husband Eric live in Wellington and have three children.
Their eldest, Sam, 27, is a media producer and conceptual artist who currently resides in (extremely hipster) Brooklyn, NY. Her younger children, Evan and Rachel, wrote the Around Wellington “Teen Talk” column in previous years. Rachel, 24, lives and works in Boston, MA and Evan, 21, is a senior at American University in Washington DC. Eric has practiced radiology in Wellington since 1991. His many talents include artist, cook, photographer and, recently, medical app developer. You can learn more about Lori at www.loribaumel.com or read her blog:www.grownupcamp.tumblr.com