How to Get the Point back into Gift giving
Do you ever feel like gift cards or bottles of wine just get exchanged between friends? Christmas time can feel so overwhelming and put so much stress on your cashflow that its so hard to express your appreciation for friends who matter. What do you get them? Sometimes it just feels pointless, so let’s chat about how to get the point back into gift giving.
Did you know that in 1840, merchants started using images of Santa Claus as a way to entice spending? Let’s change Santa Claus from an item giving figure to a stress relieving figure.
As friendships are often built on strengths and weaknesses, let’s use your strengths to balance out your friend’s weaknesses.
IF you …
Are great with words - commit to sending your friend 3 or 4 cards throughout the year as a way to cheer her/him on and support them.
How to present it at Christmas? Write them a card describing traits that makes them special.
Love to organize - gift your friend a day of helping her/him purge and re-organize a room or two of their home.
How to present it at Christmas? Wrap up a little container you will use the day of.
Have a green thumb - treat your friend to a day in late April, early May where you dig in the dirt together and help them get started for the season.
How to present it at Christmas? Wrap up a little pot with some seeds.
Thrive in the grocery store - schedule three or four grocery shopping trips for them where you pick up the things from their list. (May sure you stick to their budget and ask them what type of brands they prefer.)
How to present it at Christmas? Put together a little basket of 3 or 4 of their favorite grocery store items.
Have an eye for fashion - surprise them with an afternoon of shopping together where you focus on them and their closet.
How to present it at Christmas? Design a vision board for them of styles they wear that you think they thrive in.
If you want to take it one step further for your friend, if they have kids, speak with your friend’s partner to schedule childcare before the gift is presented.
Love to design calendars and family photo albums - ask them for all their favorite photos from the year or a season and put together a keepsake book for them. Again, make sure you ask them their budget for the project.
How to present it at Christmas? Gift her/him your favorite photo of the two of you.
Have the ability to turn any meal into a culinary delight - gift your friend some home made meals. Again make sure the meals are within your friends budget as you do not need to gift the ingredients; you are gifting her/him the treat of not having to make a few meals.
How to present it at Christmas? Whip up your favorite treat or appetizer to create an experience of chatting and connecting with your friend while you go into more detail on how and why you want to shower them with meals.
This list could go on and on as this is just the tip of the iceberg, but a few tips to make this a success;
under promise and over deliver - meaning if you can only grocery shop twice; only commit to twice
make sure you are open about budget expectations as you are not buying the clothes, the groceries or the photo books but you want to ensure that they are within your friends cashflow boundaries
Let’s bring the focus of Christmas back to supporting and loving those we care about.
What are some ways you have showered those around you with gifts without exchanging gift cards?