In the discourse about what it means to be mindful about holiday shopping, there are a couple important gift-giving truths I live by. When it comes to last minute shopping for gifts, as you rifle through the advertisements, sales, and the internal, often compounding, stressors of this season, here's some of my own tips that help me survive the end of season gift buying rush.
For some of us, the pressure of the holidays makes us want to make everything we give as special as possible. We want to make gifts thoughtful, or we want to let people know how much we cherish them, or give them an experience they've always want. But it's not always super possible, and it's often too much pressure to put on yourself! We can't always give lift changing gifts, and some years big gestures are just not in the budget. From soap to a pair of socks- a plain, neutral, unexciting might be all someone might actually want. Cute holiday themed items are fun for the moment, but aren't as effective after the season ends. And even something as nice as giving chocolates or sweets can be overdone in a season full of parties with an excess of desserts to spare.
Ultimately, something you know your gift receiver is sure to use will be worth giving. It's also what creates the least amount of waste! When in doubt, go for the safe bet. It may not sparkle or shine, but giving the gift of getting someone a necessity they might not always have the forethought or time to get is i's own brand of comforting holiday magic.
Giving a card, a note, a slip of paper, that says you care, is enough. It doesn't even have to be long! People like knowing that someone has thought of them, and you taking time out of your day to write a couple kind words goes far. Think about how you feel when you get a nice Instagram comment! Even if it's just the heart emoji, it's nice to get the extra love. It all counts in the end. A little love never hurts. Even in the hustle and bustle, a card never truly goes unnoticed. Instead of running around and settling on buying something they might like, or possibly use, or could need- words of affirmation are the timeless gift that won't go out of style anytime soon.
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