It’s understandable if you’re feeling complicated about the holidays this year. Entering the holiday season can feel fraught with stress at the best of times. With COVID-19 restrictionstightening down again worldwide, you might not know what to make of a season that traditionally centers around community-based gatherings.
No matter what your 2020 holiday plans are, small gestures that reflect deep caring and thoughtfulness have never been more meaningful. Further, you may have myriad factors to consider when figuring out your gift giving this year. If you’re operating with more limited funds, if you're reassessing that which has real meaning for you, or if you’re looking for ways to bring more mindfulness into your life, intentional gifting is key.
Intentional gifting means exactly what the phrase implies: You’re taking gifting to the next level by considering who the recipient is and how they’ll feel when they receive your gift. In the purest sense, intentional gifting is all about making the people in your life feel seen, heard, and understood. Whether you spend $3 or $300 doesn’t matter — gifting with intention shows that you’re present with the people in your life and you get what they care about, even if the gesture is small.
KEEP IT SIMPLE & REAL
Intentional gifting isn’t about how much money you can spend, but rather, how thoughtful your gift giving is. When your loved ones mention likes, loves, and dislikes throughout the year, jot this information down (unless you have a super stellar memory). It’s so touching to receive a gift that makes someone feel seen. Intentional gifting reflects the power of your loving attentiveness, and this is truly priceless.
DON'T HESITATE TO ASK
Asking your friends and family what they want for the holidays gives them a chance to express their needs and wants to you. Maybe your mom would love to lessen clutter in the house with less ‘stuff’, and prefers a donation made to her favorite charity instead of a gift. Also, asking people what they want gives them a chance to ask for items that they truly need, especially if finances are tight for them this year.
CONSIDER THE SOURCE
As much as possible, consider that where you spend money is as meaningful as what you buy. Do you support the values and ethics of the companies who you buy from? Are there more ways that you can support small businesses, artisans, or your local economy? Giving ethical and eco friendly gifts is a powerful way to share meaningful gifts that you can feel good about.
ENCOURAGE SELF-CARE
Giving self-care gifts to your overextended loved ones is a beautiful way to offer support. If you know that your best friend dearly needs to carve out some space for ‘me-time’, consider creating a wellness basket with healing bath soaks, hydrating body oils, and other wellness goodies that can help inspire her to prioritize her self-care.
No matter what your values are when it comes to gift giving, you can’t go wrong by bringing more mindfulness to the process. Not only does intentional gifting create the opportunity to connect more fully with the people you love, you can also use this gifting reframe as a chance to take the pressure off of you. If you tend to overextend yourself financially during the holidays, this is the perfect time to think about what your own boundaries and preferences are as well. Intentional gifting isn’t about the amount of money that you spend, it’s about embracing the spirit of giving in the most genuine sense.
