Let’s face it: the words “this reminded me of you” when being handed a gift will trigger sentimental emotions inside of us. Whether you begin to laugh, cry or just feel happy overall, it’s an amazing feeling to be given a gift.

With Thanksgiving in the background, Christmas is approaching and although it seems far, it will be here before you know it.

Online shopping has become increasingly popular over the years with Amazon becoming a huge influencer in the way people shop. Now, with Amazon Prime, you can get almost anything delivered right to your doorstep in two days.

Efficient? Of course. Amazon is great for sending gifts to family and friends who might not live nearby. Personally, I love Amazon and shopping on other online websites like Target, Zaful and a ton of stores that take up way too much of my time. However, I have become lazy when I shop for people now.

Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving dedicated to online shopping when stores drop prices and have exceptional bargains, sending everyone to hover over their keyboard and search for everything and everything they may need.

Of course, saving a ton of money and not damaging your wallet is always a plus. But maybe we lose the personal connection of buying gifts for family and friends.

I know for me, not having a ton of family was always something I took to heart, so I wanted to make the ones around me happy. I have always wanted to give my friends something sentimental as well. I have always felt holidays, birthdays and other occasions deserved a special gift.

Whenever I go on vacation or go shopping, even if it’s just another place, I love the feeling of looking around and seeing something in the store which makes me think of a certain person. Yes, online shopping can do that too, but I feel that going into the store and taking time to find the right gift for family or friend beats anything online.

Going on a trip and bringing something back for someone can mean the world to them. In a society filled with online days and social media, we lose connections and just become lazy. We’re too lazy to actually take the time to find something meaningful and have become so lazy that we just buy something because it can be on our doorstep as soon as night turns into day.

Online shopping has just become a way of life. And since it is not going away, I believe we can at least become more human and sentimental. I believe we have to look at the people around us and appreciate them to spend a little extra time on them so when we hand them a gift, we can use the words, “When I was in this store, I thought of you.”

It is the holiday season. There is no denying that we are lazy, but let’s make the most out of shopping for our family and friends as we can.