alternatives to traditional gift-giving (7/8)

We don’t have to distance ourselves from the spirit of the holidays and avoid gift-giving altogether. But instead, we can choose to think out of the box and come up with newer, better ways to enhance the holiday experience for ourselves and our loved ones. There are many avenues to celebrate the holidays intentionally without spending a fortune. Here a few tips for you to consider this holiday season:

1. Gift experiences: Instead of gifting material things, we can gift experiences to our friends and family that are intentional and inexpensive. It can be tickets to a concert or a stand-up comedy show, or a nice meal at a local restaurant.There are some great ideas for the experiences that we can gift in the essay ‘Ideas for a debt-free Christmas’ by The Minimalists. Here’s the list that they have made: 
   • Sunsets.
   • Theater.
   • Beaches.
   • Concerts.
   • Festivals.
   • Hayrides.
   • Massages.
   • Museums.
   • Art walks.
   • Road trips.
   • Babysitting.
   • Yoga classes.
   • Cryotherapy.
   • Rock climbing.
   • Holiday lights.
   • Sporting events.
   • Meditation retreat.
   • Russian bathhouse.
   • Christmas-tree hunting.
2. Gift consumables: If physical gifts are required, we can give people consumables such as books, coffee, chocolates or essential oils. 
3. Cash: A good alternative is simply giving cash. Some people really appreciate this as they are free to use it whichever way they want.
4. Make your own gifts: You can create meaningful gifts for your loved ones, for instance, knitting or attempting to knit a sweater or a scarf for someone special, making a home-cooked meal from scratch, bake some cupcakes or cookies, or create some artwork pieces using clay. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but I’m sure they’ll be some of the most memorable gifts for the people that you love.
5. Make donations: If the people close to us have everything that they need, we can make donations in their honor to food banks and other charitable organizations. They’ll appreciate them more than the goodies such as scented candles and neckties that other people got for them. 
6. Gift your time and attention: In my personal opinion, the best and most loving gift you can give someone is your time, your presence and your undivided attention. Just spend quality time with your loved ones, no purchase necessary.