Everyone and their brother have the perfect gift for you to buy for someone. (“Oh, of course! I'd love an electric nose-hair trimmer! How did you know?”) There's no shortage of ideas, but there usually is a shortage of good ideas.
As budgets tighten it's important to maximize the value of every dollar spent, and maximizing the value of gifts given is no exception. Though it's certainly an option to forego gifts entirely, everyone involved should be on board with that or there are bound to be hard feelings. If you haven't already planned not to give gifts by this point in the holiday season, this isn't a good option.
I've heard this piece of advice: “Give something that the recipient wouldn't buy for themselves.” Maybe you've heard this before, too. It's not bad advice but I have to wonder how much use someone will get out of my gift if it's not clear they'd get it themselves. If the gift doesn't already hold some kind of value to them in their heart, why give it? There may be good reasons why they wouldn't buy it for themselves.
This is why I'm all for giving gifts that are valuable, or have the potential to be valuable, to the person receiving the gift. A gift that is valuable is less likely to be a burden on the recipient, and what's more, it doesn't even have to be expensive. Here are a few ideas that might lead you toward finding the right valuable gift for someone you care about:
- Give something that encourages family time at home. A gift that is meant to be used at home is enjoyed again and again, and can replace a few nights' worth of activities that otherwise would have been more expensive. A really good board game does this. So does a family devotional.
- Give something that holds value over time by itself. Precious metals aren't bad for this. Collectibles perhaps, but just because something is marked “collectible” doesn't mean that it's going to hold most of its value. Anything is collectible.
- Give something that enables people to invest in themselves. Maybe computer software designed to teach another language, or to increase reading speed and comprehension. (Most people will benefit from being able to read better and faster.) Or buy a domain name for someone who wants to start up a website.
- Give something that encourages thrift. Opening up an ING savings account or give a certificate of deposit. This way you can give them insight as to what you think is valuable as you give them something valuable.
- Give something that they'd want to buy anyway. If you know what they actually do spend their money on, then you have good assurance that your gift will be enjoyed.
- Give something that they'll need to buy anyway. Clothes. A gas card. A gift card to a grocery store or a supercenter. Something of the food, clothing, and shelter variety. It's still a gift, and it's just about guaranteed to be used. It doesn't have to scream poverty.
- Give something that suggests they need help? Watch this one. Giving a hothead a book on anger management might be exactly what they need, but it probably isn't appropriate as a gift. There's little chance that it will be taken in the spirit in which it was given.
What other kinds of gifts carry good value?
(Photo: monstershaq2000)
In defense of giving gifts the recipient wouldn't buy: The idea is to think of a luxury they WOULD want but wouldn't or couldn't spare the money to get for themselves. Personally, I think these are the best gifts to receive, because along with the gift, you have just been given permission to indulge yourself. This is why I like getting a massage gift certificate from my husband, even though he paid for it with our credit card and I could have just gone and paid for it myself with the same card.
One thing that I give is time.
I give time by volunteering at least once a month at a day shelter and occasionally ushering at local playhouses.
Another way to give time to a friend or family member is to set a date (and set it in stone) to spend a day helping them around their house.
If they need help cleaning out a basement/room, offer to come over with a bunch of plastic bags, cleaning supplies and a willingness to drop off the trash and items for donation at the end of the day.
Maybe it's giving them an afternoon of babysitting or elder care so they can get some errands done or just take in a movie in peace.
Giving time doesn't cost much but can make a world of difference to someone who's overwhelmed.
I purchased monogrammed towels for each of my nieces and nephews this year. Combined with handmade soap (also monogrammed) that I make, that will be their present this Christmas. They may not be cool gifts for kids but they're functional, lasting and personal. They also solve a problem we have every summer about whose towel is whose by the pool.
I have got a new computer today.Hurray!
I am thankful and proud. My nephew presented me his computer.He is a cool computer lover since childhood.Now he's got an update computer and I've got a chance to present mine to my pa.
I feel gifts are great
a good way to show we care
and want to share.
Cash gifts are the greatest.
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