Thanksgiving and the Gift of Time

I'm in deep negotiations with my husband about taking a trip to Disney World in early December. We both have time off work available that we need to use before the end of the year. I think that this is an opportunity to experience Disney decorated for the holidays with our kids (ages 4 and 6) in an off-season. My husband is worried about the economy and recession and said that we should be saving our money. We've done a great job of cutting back and saving money this year, so money isn't really a huge issue. My argument is that we have the gift of time and we may not have this opportunity again.

Time is a gift that we will never get back. A recent Forbes.com article says that, like me, women want time for the holidays, not another scarf. It's easy to complain about not having enough time, but in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for the gift of time that I have been given this year.

• Employers offer paid time off as a benefit to employees to spend time away from the office. I convinced my boss to allow me (and other employees) the option of reduced pay and hours over the summer. I worked 4 days a week and had every Friday off during the summer. I spent every Friday with my kids going on "field trips". Because I didn't use my days off over the summer, I now I have time available to spend with my family over the holidays - what a gift!
• Offering flex time to employees is another gift of time. I work 7ish to 4ish daily so that I can pick up my kids from school at a reasonable hour. I'm also able to help with homework, run a quick errand and coach soccer thanks to flex time - what a gift!
• Volunteering shares the gift of your time. There really is nothing more valuable than your time and positively impacting others by your involvement. I am an active volunteer with our local SHRM chapter, GCHRA, on the Recruiting & Staffing Committee. I have help the organization, but really I receive much more than I give. The people that I have met and experiences have changed my personal and professional life- what a gift!
• The time to learn is a gift. I am a huge advocate for continued learning and development. Part of my job the last year has been to learn about social media for my Company. I started reading blogs and using twitter and then started my own blog - what an amazing opportunity!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, what are you thankful for? How have you used your gift of time this year? My Thanksgiving shout out has to go to my Company, Phoenix Formations, for the gift of time that I have received as an employee. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving!