Looking for a way to avoid the commercialism of the Christmas season but still give your loved ones a special gift? Consider these suggestions for creative and affordable gifts that are meaningful and sure to bring joy.
Regift thoughtfully
Has your granddaughter always loved a certain piece of jewelry? Does your nephew admire your grandfather’s chess set? If you own something you know a family member loves, wrap it up and give it to them now. This will ensure passing on family items to those who will cherish them most.
Print Photos
In this age of digital pictures, many of us no longer print photos. Print shots of your family or friends to give as gifts. Give your daughter a photo of a recent family outing. Present your best friend with a picture of you both from high school. Chances are you have a frame lying around the house you can use.
You can also compile the photos with other pieces of memorabilia to create a memory board. Chart your family tree to teach the younger generation about their ancestors.
If you want to stick with digital photos, have them turned into a video tribute.
Words of Love
On small pieces of decorative paper write affirmations, statements of encouragement, or what you appreciate about the person you are giving the gift to. Fold the papers and put them in a jar for the person to open. They can read one a day or all at once. The jar can be painted in their favorite color or design.
Write “Just in Case Letters” to be read when someone is feeling blue or to celebrate a special occasion. Tie the bundle of letters with a decorative ribbon. If you’d rather put your words into a blank journal, you can decorate the page with stickers and photos. The journal can even contain favorite family recipes.
Be A Sitter
Give the gift of your time by giving a coupon for house sitting, taking care of pets, or babysitting the children for a friend or family member.
Plan a Date
Set a date for tea and conversation, a trip to the park or beach, or tour a museum. The possibilities are endless. For indoor activities with children, you can teach them how to cook their favorite recipe, how to knit or start a garden.
Volunteer
What is someone’s favorite charity or organization? Volunteer with that group to clean up a local park, teach basketball, work in a soup kitchen, or register people to vote. The key here is to do something that has meaning for the recipient of the gift.
Edible Gifts
The types of food gifts available are endless. Some ideas are cookies, granola, pasta sauce, jam, loafs of homemade bread, and the like. Gift A Mix in a mason jar is another possibility. These gifts in a jar are a mix of ingredients that can be used to make food or drinks. Some gift mix examples are sugar cookie mixes, hot chocolate, bean soups, or even seasoning mixes
Many of these can be put in mason jars or old pasta sauce jars, which can be decorated with ribbon or even painted to look like Santa, a baseball or any theme that comes to mind.
These are just a few suggestions of how gift giving can still be thoughtful without breaking the bank.
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