5 Ways to Celebrate Milestone Moments

Here at Plum Deluxe, we're celebrating a move to a new location to support our online teashop operations. We're so excited to celebrate this milestone moment - we even have a new tea blend to celebrate the occasion with.
Now, not everyone can make their own tea to ring in a milestone. But what if you want to do something special, for yourself or someone else, to celebrate a milestone moment? Here are 5 ways to do just that.
(You might notice my 5 themes are familiar - I'm using the 5 Love Language themes from best-selling author Gary Chapman.)

Acts of Service

I like to start any gift list with services - because so many of us have lots of stuff, but not a lot of time, so acts of service can be very impactful. And giving services can be a wonderful way to honor someone's milestone celebration. Here are some ideas:

• Bought a house? Gift a couple hours from a local house cleaner or interior designer.
• Milestone anniversary? Offer a night of free babysitting services, or if no children, offer to have a home cook dinner delivered one weeknight for a well-deserved break.
• Big promotion at work or big entrepreneurial success? Send a gift card to a site like Taskrabbit - no doubt they've been putting in long hours, they can choose from a variety of specialists to help them catch up on their to do list.

See where we're going here? Honestly, these all sound great regardless of the occasion (who couldn't use a bit of house cleaning help now and then, or a handyman!). Giving something like house cleaning may sound boring, dull, or a very mundane way to celebrate something special, but gifts like acts of service have a subtle emotional impact - the feeling that everything is OK, and serve as an opportunity to pause and say "yes, you deserved this milestone."

Receiving Gifts

Gifts are, of course, the most obvious way to celebrate a milestone moment, whether that's gifting yourself or someone else. As the cliche suggests, it's the thought that counts - a gift that has a personal touch is the most impactful, even if it's just a great card with a handwritten note (which yes, you can get add a handwritten note to any Plum Deluxe order.)

Physical Touch

Physical touch is a love language, and it may seem odd to suggest touching someone to celebrate a major milestone - but touch is more than appropriate depending on the occasion:

• a handshake with congratulatory words can mean more than a watch or a pen
• a long hug will be more remembered than the gift wrap
• and who doesn't love a spa treatment - be sure to choose a gift certificate from a facility with lots of offerings so your giftee has an option to choose something they will truly enjoy

Quality Time

Time is, perhaps, the most fragile gift of all, because we only have so much of it to space. But I honestly can't think of anything better to celebrate important milestones than taking the time with the person(s) that made them possible to actually celebrate.
Quality time could be a dinner party or a date night, or just a walk in the neighborhood talking followed by sitting down for a cup of tea. You can also gift yourself quality time - time away in nature, time in bed under the covers with a book, time working on craft projects or hobbies, time enjoying a guilty indulgence (we promise not to judge your Netflix queue). You get to choose what quality time means!

Words of Affirmation

Last but not least are words of affirmation. These could be spoke words, but you can also commemorate words via a special painting, a written letter or postcard. Just read these words... how do they make you feel?

• Thank You.
• You deserved this. You earned this.
• Congratulations. No, really, c-o-n-g-r-a-t-u-l-a-t-i-o-n-s.
• I'm proud of you.

Go beyond leaving a comment on their Facebook status. And don't forget to tell yourself these things, because it's true - you earned it, you deserved it, thank you, I'm proud of you.