The holidays are coming!
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa, the December holidays are just around the corner. For many, the hustle and bustle of the holidays is stressful and we often spend more on gifts than we would like. Below are some ideas for gifts and experiences that may lead to less stress and more fun this year.
Cathryn Cunningham/ Albuquerque Journal
Psychology research has shown that experiences make us happier than “things,” so consider replacing your shopping list with experiences this year.
Experiences
- Gift a visit to the zoo, a museum, a movie, a concert, or a day trip to a nearby town for lunch with a friend or family member. This gift can be redeemable in the spring when the weather improves, so the anticipation becomes an added benefit.
- Spend a day together cooking. Make Christmas cookies or any dish you remember from your childhood or past holidays.
- Start a monthly gathering with friends or family for the new year. Select a theme, or change the menu each month. For example, one month everyone can bring an Italian food dish. Another month could be Mexican or Thai food.
- Work with a local charity to buy items for needy families or residents in shelters. Go shopping with your children or grandchildren to teach them the importance of giving to others.
- Gift an evening of babysitting services, cleaning the driveway after a snowstorm, or helping with gardening in the spring.
- Plan a day with your family during the holidays to bring out old photo albums or family videos. Discuss relatives who have died, tell stories and educate the younger members on family history. These stories are powerful, and they need to be passed down to younger generations.
Gifts
If you would like to give a gift that is not an experience, consider pooling your money with other family members to purchase something. Or set a dollar limit, such as $25. Look for inexpensive gifts that will bring joy. Consider the following:
- A Storyworth subscription. In this online service, the recipient receives questions each week to answer about their childhood, their values, their careers, etc. The questions can be customized, and the recipient returns their answers. In one year, Storyworth will compile the answers, and create a keepsake book that can be delivered to the whole family. This is a great way to pass down family stories that are often lost. The cost of a subscription is $100, and several siblings can go in together on this gift for their parents or grandparents. To learn more, go to www.storyworth.com.
- A family heirloom: If you have jewelry, a pocket watch, or even kitchen items that belonged to your parents or grandparents, consider gifting an item to a child or grandchild. Tell stories about the item you are gifting (“I remember my grandmother making cinnamon rolls using this bowl when I was a child”).
- A handmade item: Consider making a beaded necklace or bracelet, or knitting or crocheting a blanket. Create a sketch, write a poem, or sew a tote bag or pot holders. Baked items are also nice, such as banana bread that can be frozen to be enjoyed on a cold winter morning.
- A MasterClass subscription: This is an online education subscription service that costs $15-20 per month. Several siblings can go in together on a gift like this. The service provides pre-recorded tutorials and lectures prepared by over 150 experts in their fields, which can be streamed on a TV, iPad, or computer. I discovered it recently on a long airplane flight, and was thrilled to find many videos by writer Malcolm Gladwell. To learn more, go to www.masterclass.com.
- The gift of inner peace: Consider a subscription to a meditation app (such as Headspace or Calm), or a gift subscription for yoga classes, a massage, etc.
- A carefully selected book: Books are always great gifts, especially if it is on a topic that interests the recipient. If someone is wanting to do more cooking in the new year, consider a cookbook. If they want to become more knowledgeable about a topic (climate change, geology, travel, gardening, drawing, etc.) select a book for them. If they prefer to listen to books, consider a subscription to Audible. To learn more, go to www.audible.com.
Planning ahead is always wise. Start planning the experiences or gifts now, and enjoy a relaxing holiday.