Top Holiday Gift Ideas For a Friend Who is Sick

Looking for gift ideas for a friend who is sick during the Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza and holiday seasons? Unfortunately, hospital stays, bouts with the flu and chronic conditions like cancer and MS don't take holidays. But you can help your friend be included in the spirit of the season by sending a care package that lets him know how much you care.

Here are four gift idea groups to help you design a care package that will uplift her spirit this holiday.

Holiday gift idea #1: Bring the heat.
Warming body wraps, neck wraps and stuffed animals with a little aromatherapy like cinnamon and clove are great to send a friend at holiday time. There are many options available that simply pop in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and stay warm for several hours. Whether she is in the hospital or at home, it is so easy to get chilled during winter months and heating aromatherapy wraps feel so good, help relax muscles and smell great.

Holiday gift idea #2: Indulge with natural treats for skin.
Quality, natural personal care items make indulgent stocking stuffers that feel good and smell fresh. Give natural and organic lotions in regular sizes or handy travel sizes, organic lip balms in fun flavors like mint and tangerine, or natural body butters in luscious scents like mango orange. Try to choose items that have all natural and organic ingredients to avoid allergic reactions to synthetic fragrances, preservatives and chemicals.

Holiday gift idea #3: The 3 R's
If you have ever been stuck in bed for a long period of time, you know how boring it can get. Go back to school days and send a gift focused reading, writing or arithmetic. Books, journals and puzzle books help pass the time and keep the brain engaged. Books are always a holiday gift favorite. You can choose a self-help book with uplifting stories about others who have faced the same illness or struggle, you can try something light like a joke book, or you can go with a brand new best seller. You can also try a journal, which allows your friend to write down ideas, lists, memories... whatever he likes. Having a handy place to write notes and thoughts is great when you're stuck on bed rest. Journals come in several styles, with hard covers and soft, lined or unlined pages, inspirational quotes or blank. Or, try a book of puzzles like Sudoku, crosswords or math brain teasers.

Holiday gift idea #4: Cozy toes.
Slippers are a classic holiday gift and a perfect choice for a friend who is ill during the holiday season. Stores have multitudes of styles and colors available for holiday shopping, and you can choose the 'fuzzy factor' of the lining from super plush and warm to a thin cotton lining. If slippers don't seem quite right or you are unsure of sizing, try a pair of slipper socks or natural and organic bamboo socks. Bamboo socks are sure to be the softest socks you will find and unlike slippers, can be comfortably worn all the time to keep toes cozy and warm. Bamboo is also eco-friendly as it is grown without use of pesticides.

Finally, what to say on your gift card? Your gift message should focus on him -- how you are thinking about him, wish him well and how you send your thoughts and prayers during the holiday season. It is easy to digress into how busy you are during the holidays, but try to avoid talking about how busy your schedule is - that doesn't help encourage him when he's at home or in the hospital not feeling good. A simple, heartfelt message is sure to be a hit and will warm his spirit this holiday season.