This year more than ever people want to take the bling-bling out of Christmas and put the spirit back in. The days of the super SUVs and endless credit are firmly in the past so now is the time to really think about gifts rather than going for the default gift-card.
Meaningful gifts need not come in the iconic robins egg blue Tiffany box, in fact the gifts with the most impact, most from the heart are often easy on the pocketbook.
A perfect example: a friend of mine whose mother was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's made a beautiful family scrapbook with family photos and clipping and keepsakes. The gift was for her mother but it also brought the entire family together sharing memories and laughs together. Dollar-wise the gift was cheap, but in every other way it was priceless.
For friends, a gift with meaning could take into account something the receiver really loves: something as simple as a gift centred around their favourite colour, an exotic houseplant that reminds them of a recent trip abroad, or a batch of muffins baked with your secret recipe and including the recipe itself. Have a person on your list that is moving house in the New Year? A voucher for a days labour packing and moving can take the stress off moving day and build your friendship at the same time.
Gifts with meaning sometimes take less money but more planning. Do you know a friend who has a favourite author? A little research and forward planning may allow you to get a first edition of one of the author's books, or a signed copy of their most recent work. Most publishing companies or author's agents are happy to help with signed editions, and it needn't cost much more than the cover price and postage.
Donation cards in a friend or family member's name are an ethical choice and help make the holiday season less mall-centred and more global. Sponsorship of a child in a developing nation, or of a homeless dog in an animal sanctuary, can be life changing for everyone involved. Organizations like Oxfam report that gifts like a $75 donation, which buys a goat for an African villager, are increasingly popular. Websites like CanadaHelps.org even offer charity gift cards so the receiver can choose her own cause to support, everything from physiotherapy for wartime amputees to condoms for Aids-ravaged nations. These gifts do not collect dust, do not get lost in the Boxing Day pile of wrapping paper and show commitment and creative thinking.
The key words for meaningful gifts should be planning, and thinking rather than simple spending. Think about what the receiver is passionate about, what they need and also what they have too much of. (How many men do you know who truly need another tie?) And perhaps the best thing about meaningful gifts is the sense of fun they put back into gift giving. The extra effort pays off in that warm and fuzzy holiday feeling. Remember that feeling?
