5 Ways to Gift Better

Some have said that consumerism is one of the worst “-isms” out there, but it is sure hard to get away from it during the holiday season. Retailers start plotting against us, even as early as October, reminding us how many shopping days are left. It is especially hard to combat when kids are involved. Of course, they too are subject to marketing: the need/want line sometimes gets very blurry for kids who will be comparing loot received among friends.

We are all consumers, no judgment here, I promise, but sometimes too much stuff and the idea of gifts can deter from the true holiday spirit. Along those lines, here are five shrink approved ways to try to reduce the focus on consumerism during your holiday celebration:

Gift differently: Ask yourself and your family what is the most fun about your holiday traditions, and then try to integrate this into gifting differently. For example, many families feel that stocking stuffers are the most fun, because they are little, creative gifts which really show how much you know each other. So, consider doing more stocking stuffers, and only one or two additional gifts each. Alternatively, think about only doing stocking stuffers and donating to a meaningful charity in your family member’s name.

Slow down the pace: So, a holiday without gifts isn’t your style? No worries, you aren’t alone. Holidays and gifts are usually synonymous. Much of the fun of receiving though is about anticipation, so consider slowing down the day. Think, marathon not sprint when it comes to opening presents. Open half the gifts, and then take a break for a family meal as an intermission. This break might be a fun time to talk about favorite holiday memories or honor a family member who cannot be at the celebration. After an intermission, opening the other half of the gifts can be like Christmas all over again. The idea is not to eliminate gifts entirely; it is to enjoy the gift giving and receiving process more mindfully. That way, gifts may have more meaning, and quality, not quantity, can be the focus.

Use more creativity, less money: Gifts come and go from memory, but creativity does not. I will never forget a poem that was read on Christmas morning to my cousin during a holiday gathering. The poem was written about a past family vacation and was really the highlight of the day. Although this was years ago, and I do not recall any material presents, I still distinctly remember parts of the poem. Consider writing poems or short stories for each other. Put together a family photo album with a time line from the year. Burn a CD or purchase a series of songs for someone’s iPod which are sentimental or represent your time together. If the family is competitive, have a creative gift competition. The sky is the limit, and, after all, it may be less stressful than holiday shopping!

Do themes, not lists: This idea may work better for the older kids or the adults in the family, but even for the little ones, try to get away from the idea of a “gift list.” Lists bring expectations that everything written will be fulfilled. Have each person come up with themes instead of items. Maybe you are learning to cook: cooking can be a holiday theme idea. (Think cooking classes, fun ingredients, interesting utensils, cook books, etc.)The idea is to get items related to the theme, which may breed more creativity rather than quantity of stuff.

Make more memories, buy fewer gifts: Consider alternating every year between gifts and something more memorable, such as a family vacation or big family outing. If you look back at your holiday budgets from many past years, you may be surprised by how much you spent on gifting. Instead, can you do stocking stuffers, and pool gift money into a memorable trip, meal, amusement park outing, or a memorable time together? One of the best gifts from the holidays is quality time together as a family!

From Shrink Wrapped, thanks so much for sharing this past year with me via my blogs. Have a safe, happy holiday season.