The holidays are here, along with their perpetual stress and overstimulation. As we head into the gift-giving season, I want to offer a simple reminder: Everyone you know probably has enough stuff.
Unless your gift recipient is very young or living in a precarious financial state, they likely don't need much. Every time you rack your brains for another gift for that special someone who "already has everything," consider that they may truly have everything they need (and most of what they want). And if your recipient is in a precarious state, they probably need practical assistance more than they need a holiday-themed bath set.
Now that Black Friday is here, you may have already begun shopping. I get that. Some of these things may be more useful for future holiday seasons. With that in mind, here are some gift-giving alternatives and tips to think about as the annual shopping frenzy gets underway:
Draw names, do a Secret Santa exchange, or introduce a gift swap.
These exchanges shorten your gift list to one and can be especially fun for large families, friend groups, or coworkers. (As a frugal person, I also appreciate the set spending limits these exchanges usually have.) I still remember a Yankee Swap my stepmom's family had when I was a teenager! Although many gift swaps focus on impractical or white elephant items, you can make a rule that gifts need to be practical. You never know what items will be a hit, and that's half the fun.
Give experiences instead of objects.
Take your friends out for a great dinner, give someone a museum membership, or buy tickets to a holiday show your whole family can see together. (If you're a Houston local, come see the show I'm in!) Years ago, one of my friends gave me a movie theatre club membership that was the equivalent of a free ticket every month. I saw so many movies that year! I still think about how much fun that gift was.
Make or buy consumable gifts.
Food and drinks can be great presents! I made up my own "cheese of the month" club for my stepdad one time, and I had fun visiting fancy grocery stores and picking out his cheese every month for a year. You don't have to do anything so elaborate, though. Give a few boxes of tea or some great coffee beans. You could bake loaves of bread for everyone on your list. Don't fall victim to the "gift basket" fallacy, though. Giving someone cocoa mix doesn't require a new mug, and you don't need to include a linen tea towel with your bread, either. Toiletries, makeup, fragrances, and candles are also technically consumable, but you might want to give a gift card unless you know your recipient's tastes. Which brings me to…
Gift cards are always an option.
This can be an easy solution if you know which stores your gift recipient prefers. (Cash also works If you don't know where someone likes to shop.) Some people feel gift cards are crass, but I would much rather hand over a little rectangle of plastic instead of something that will collect dust or feel like an obligation.
Buy less.
The most straightforward change to make is to buy fewer gifts. Give your spouse one gift instead of three. Aim for a smaller number of more meaningful gifts. (These can be more thoughtful rather than more expensive.) Also, before you buy a gift, ask yourself, "Will this present end up in a landfill in a year or less?" Gag gifts are literal garbage; they simply end up in the trash. Why buy garbage? Beyond that, resist throwing extra stuff into your cart because it's cheap or will bump you up to "free" shipping. Consider whether the things you're buying are even worth giving, especially if you're shopping at the last minute. Quantity is just… more. Remember, most of us have too much stuff already.
Give your recipient an exquisite version of something they already use.
I'm a big fan of Hannah Louise Poston, who introduced me to this concept in one of her videos. Although this practice can be pricey and may not be a strategy for those of us on a strict budget, I love the idea of giving someone beautiful, high-end things they will love that they wouldn't necessarily buy for themselves.
Please understand: I don't mean to be a joyless scold! I know many people truly enjoy giving gifts (I do, too), and some consider them a "love language." It can be difficult to challenge gift-giving assumptions. We'll need to have awkward conversations with friends and family members if we aim to change holiday traditions, but it's worth it. Start those conversations now to help shape future holiday seasons. You'll lay the groundwork to spend less and stress less in the future. Going forward, you can focus on the holiday traditions you enjoy most. Very few of us love shopping best. So why not let some of that go?
The holidays are supposed to be a celebration, not a slog. Shop less and enjoy more!
(37/42)
I'm broke this year, so. I'm in!
We are actually selling a bunch of stuff on eBay so others can enjoy it. If it goes to a Goodwill, and no one buys it, things go to their "bins" outlets, then on to the landfill.