3 Ideas for Meaningful Christmas Gifts
Christmas, as the song goes, is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s a time to get together with our families, eat vast quantities of delicious food, and be thankful for everything we have. Christmas is a hectic season at all times. Families come together from faraway places to spend Christmas Day together. For meals, decorations and, most importantly, presents, others will do some Christmas shopping. Offering and buying family Christmas cards is one of the best ways to show the spirit of Christmas. Christmas cards are a basic and personal present that will always be enjoyed by everyone.
But it is also a holiday synonymous with monumental waste, overspending, and consumerism. Each year, 2.65 billion Christmas cards are sold in the US, an amount which could fill a football field ten stories high. Add to this all the wrapping paper, crackers, decorations, gift packaging, and uneaten food, and you’re looking at an unforgivable amount of waste. People give each other cheap, tacky gifts that get discarded within weeks, and have only been purchased out of a sense of obligation.
You don’t need to buy someone a comedy t-shirt or a stack of Xbox games to show them you love them. If you put thought into your present, you can show someone you value them as a person without spending inordinate amounts on something they don’t really need.
To help you find the perfect gifts for the people you love, here are some ideas for Meaningful Christmas Gifts.
A donation in their name
Is there a cause that your loved one is truly passionate about? Perhaps they are an ardent supporter of human rights or a devoted animal lover. Maybe there is a medical charity close to their heart for personal reasons or an institution they work for that doesn’t get enough funding. Whatever cause they stand behind, show them you have their best interests at heart by donating to a relevant charity in their name. You will be giving them a meaningful gift that does some good for the world without creating any waste at all.
An Organic Mattress
If you know your loved one has been feeling tired or not getting enough sleep, here’s a golden chance for you to relieve them of the pain and worries. Gifting an organic mattress such as the Oliver Smith mattress would not only eliminate their pain, but it would save them money and they would feel a lot healthier than before. Especially if they’re someone with skin allergies, they would always remember you gifted them something so pure and chemicals-free. Your gift can be a turning point in their life that would last for years.
An experience
When people look back on their lives in their later years, they won’t remember all the material goods they possessed. The important things they will remember are the experiences and times spent with family and friends. Give your loved one a treasured memory by buying them an experience you can share together. This could be an adrenaline-fuelled adventure activity like skydiving or whitewater rafting, or it could be a relaxing weekend break for two. Tailor it to their specific interests, and there is no doubt your gift will go down a treat.
BONUS – Something they need
People often think Christmas gifts need to be fun and exciting, but it can be just as enjoyable to unwrap something you really need. If you know your loved one has something they need to buy, you’ll be saving them hassle and money by treating them to it. For example, if they are moving house, you could treat them to some kitchenware, fancy bedding, or even a Murano glass chandelier. If they are about to go traveling, you could surprise them with a new travel bag or some noise-canceling headphones to help them relax on the flight.
There is no need to spend huge amounts on pointless, extravagant gifts whose usefulness will expire within a few months. By surprising your loved one with a meaningful present, you will show them how much they mean to you and avoid unnecessary waste at the same time.
What other meaningful Christmas gifts do you recommend? Share your answers in the comments.
