Gifting Mindfully
The holiday season is upon us, and with that comes the season of gifting! If you're like me, you enjoy gift giving, but find all the materialism overwhelming. This time of year is stressful for those of us who are trying to live on a budget, especially in today's economy.
Today I thought I'd share my top tips for gifting mindfully. Over the years, I have learned how to give gifts that matter, without being insulting to those who value material items. Ultimately the goal is to create a happy holiday season, without any of the stress, anxiety, and financial strain.
The most obvious starting place is to set your budget. How much are you able to spend this year on gifts? Write that number down, we'll come back to it in a minute.
Throughout the year, set a precedent for what others should expect. If you know that your budget will not allow you to give extravagant gifts, it doesn't hurt to set that precedent beforehand. Simply talking about your budget-friendly lifestyle can cue people in to the fact that you're just not going to get involved in the usual gift-giving schemes this year. Don't be hesitant to come right out and say it if need be - never been shy or embarrassed about your financial decisions.
Once the precedent has been set, create a list of those who you will be shopping for. Creating a visual list of all the people in your life will help you to prioritize. Is it really necessary to buy each of your 21 co-workers a personalized gift? You'll find it easy to knock a few names off your list this way.
Next, take a look at that list. Who's on it, and what do they like?? Take the time to think carefully about each person, and create a list of items that would be suitable for each person. Let's take my imaginary friend Tom, for example. Tom loves playing video games, cooking, sports, and politics. So my list for Tom would include specific games he likes, sports memorabilia, and maybe some kitchen gear. Politics can kick it for Christmas.
Now, return to your budget. Take a look at the number of people on your list, and compare it to the budget you have. How much are you going to spend on each person? This will determine which items on your list you are going to be able to get. Tom's on the nice list this year, so my budget for him is $100.00.
Once you've determined your budget, it's time to get creative. There's no way I could get Tom everything he wants with $100.00. So instead, I'm going to grab him a gift card to EB Games, so he can choose his favourite game. Except, wait a minute, games are about $70-$80 bucks, which will obliterate my budget. So let's skip the game. Next on Tom's list of likes is cooking, which I also enjoy. There are two restaurants close to us that offer "chefs table" experiences, where you can cook your own meal. Maybe I'll grab Tom a gift certificate for a night out, complete with cheap tickets to a game. Altogether that would cost no more than $80 bucks, coming in well under budget.
Or, running with the example of Tom, let's say I get him a Hello Fresh box (do they even make those in Canada?). Then I come over and help him cook one night, and we watch a game on TV together. The Hello Fresh box costs about $70 bucks, and Tom gets food for the entire week, and the game is free!
Another idea for Tom is a grocery delivery gift card. Tom's busy schedule could use a break, and with grocery deliver he's able to spend more time at home watching the news - politics! And the amount of money I spend is totally up to me.
You catch my drift. The important part in all this is that Tom isn't materialistic - he likes experiences and spending time with friends. This gift is perfect based on Tom's likes and personality, but might not work for another friend.
I hope this little blog post helped you to think out of the box when it comes to gifting a bit more mindfully.
Today I thought I'd share my top tips for gifting mindfully. Over the years, I have learned how to give gifts that matter, without being insulting to those who value material items. Ultimately the goal is to create a happy holiday season, without any of the stress, anxiety, and financial strain.
The most obvious starting place is to set your budget. How much are you able to spend this year on gifts? Write that number down, we'll come back to it in a minute.
Throughout the year, set a precedent for what others should expect. If you know that your budget will not allow you to give extravagant gifts, it doesn't hurt to set that precedent beforehand. Simply talking about your budget-friendly lifestyle can cue people in to the fact that you're just not going to get involved in the usual gift-giving schemes this year. Don't be hesitant to come right out and say it if need be - never been shy or embarrassed about your financial decisions.
Once the precedent has been set, create a list of those who you will be shopping for. Creating a visual list of all the people in your life will help you to prioritize. Is it really necessary to buy each of your 21 co-workers a personalized gift? You'll find it easy to knock a few names off your list this way.
Next, take a look at that list. Who's on it, and what do they like?? Take the time to think carefully about each person, and create a list of items that would be suitable for each person. Let's take my imaginary friend Tom, for example. Tom loves playing video games, cooking, sports, and politics. So my list for Tom would include specific games he likes, sports memorabilia, and maybe some kitchen gear. Politics can kick it for Christmas.
Now, return to your budget. Take a look at the number of people on your list, and compare it to the budget you have. How much are you going to spend on each person? This will determine which items on your list you are going to be able to get. Tom's on the nice list this year, so my budget for him is $100.00.
Once you've determined your budget, it's time to get creative. There's no way I could get Tom everything he wants with $100.00. So instead, I'm going to grab him a gift card to EB Games, so he can choose his favourite game. Except, wait a minute, games are about $70-$80 bucks, which will obliterate my budget. So let's skip the game. Next on Tom's list of likes is cooking, which I also enjoy. There are two restaurants close to us that offer "chefs table" experiences, where you can cook your own meal. Maybe I'll grab Tom a gift certificate for a night out, complete with cheap tickets to a game. Altogether that would cost no more than $80 bucks, coming in well under budget.
Or, running with the example of Tom, let's say I get him a Hello Fresh box (do they even make those in Canada?). Then I come over and help him cook one night, and we watch a game on TV together. The Hello Fresh box costs about $70 bucks, and Tom gets food for the entire week, and the game is free!
Another idea for Tom is a grocery delivery gift card. Tom's busy schedule could use a break, and with grocery deliver he's able to spend more time at home watching the news - politics! And the amount of money I spend is totally up to me.
You catch my drift. The important part in all this is that Tom isn't materialistic - he likes experiences and spending time with friends. This gift is perfect based on Tom's likes and personality, but might not work for another friend.
I hope this little blog post helped you to think out of the box when it comes to gifting a bit more mindfully.
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