43 Gift Ideas that Aren't Things
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The giving and receiving of gifts is a wonderful way to express your love for friends and family at Christmas time. But we don’t always need or even want the extra ‘stuff’ that Christmas gifts can bring our way. Here are some ideas for gifts you can give that will be appreciated and meaningful without adding any extra clutter to the household.
Experiences
Give the gift of memories this Christmas. We were recently gifted tickets to a show with friends, and they took us out to dinner beforehand. It was a wonderful evening we will never forget. Give tickets to a local zoo, theme park or gallery, a concert, theatre show or sporting game. Many restaurants offer gift vouchers.
Give a massage, manicure or pedicure to the woman you love, or bundle them together and make it a spa day.
Subscriptions
There are excellent value subscription services available now, making content more accessible than ever. Gift a year’s access to a subscription your loved one will enjoy. It could be a streaming service such as Amazon Prime, Netflix or Stan, or a music service such as Spotify. The book lover in your life will love access to Kindle Unlimited or Audible.
You could also give a subscription to an online magazine such as Simplify, a newspaper such as the New York Times, or membership to a paid newsletter such as Books and Crannies by Tsh Oxenreider or Field Notes by Sarah Bessey.
Class
Gift the gift of learning something new. Explore classes available in your local area. My mother-in-law teaches knitting and crochet in a local store, and her lessons are more popular now than ever. Give a cooking, painting, fishing or flower arranging class.
Course
There are online courses available to help learn almost anything these days. Many courses are well presented and are good value for money. I have learned a lot about blogging, writing and marketing from online courses. Many can be done at your own pace and include Facebook groups to support and encourage each other as you learn. Explore the internet for courses that will appeal to your loved one. Help them become a better writer, makeup artist, graphic designer or beekeeper.
Conference
There is something special about time away from every day responsibilities to build relationships and receive inspiration from like-minded people. Give your loved one a weekend away on a women’s camp, a hiking weekend, a writer’s retreat or a leadership conference.
Apps
We have digital devices at our fingertips now and there are useful apps available that make our lives easier and give us a little joy. While many apps are free, some paid programs are worth every penny. There are productivity tools, design apps, camping planners and to-do list managers. Or gift some mindfulness, meditation or brain training games.
Something personal
Remember the old mixed tape? We spent hours listening to the radio, ready to press record as soon as the first note of that special song began. We carefully compiled our selected songs into a celebration of our relationship. Thankfully, those days are gone. Use Spotify or a similar music service to create a personalised playlist for someone you love. Collaborate with others in your family to put together a soundtrack for your family Christmas.
Got hundreds of photos and videos on your phone? Create a digital photo album or make a movie full of memories to make your loved ones smile.
I hope you have found some helpful ideas to give meaningful gifts this Christmas without adding to the clutter in our homes.
If you have a digital product or course you recommend, we would love to know about it! Leave a note in the comments and help us get the perfect gifts for our loved ones this Christmas.
