How To Get Creative With Your Gift-Giving This Christmas
One of the best parts of Christmas has got to be the spirit of giving. Gift-giving on Christmas has become such a big deal that shopping begins one month prior, and doesn’t seem to end until the big day. There always seems to be one more gift to get as we think of all those we love and want to reach out to during the holidays.
73% of Americans don’t finish their Christmas shopping until the week before Christmas. If you’re one of them, and there are still a few people on your list you haven’t been able to find the perfect gift for, then consider some other ways you can get creative. First, spend a few moments thinking of your loved ones and what they might like. Then, create! Creation was God’s biggest act of giving. Need ideas? Here are a few to get you started—they’re great, low-cost ideas for kids, too! Make sure to leave a comment with add ideas of your own!
Homemade gifts
Crochet, paint, carve, repurpose, cook, or write. Give a loved one a coupon book of favors they can ask of you. There are so many possibilities to choose from! Even if fine arts isn’t exactly your forte, the internet has thousands of totally do-able gift ideas with easy instructions. Try a website like Pinterest or just run a Google search for ideas. Gifts we make by hand might take some time, but in this case, time is really part of the gift itself. While we make these gifts we can think of that loved one and explore their unique value to God and to us.
Give the gift of giving
Many charitable organizations allow sponsors to “adopt” a person or area in need of help. One gift idea is to adopt in the name of your loved one. There are also many organizations that sell beautiful gifts and then use the proceeds to help their causes. You can find a short list of these here. When we give gifts for a greater cause to one another, we inspire a cycle of giving and awareness. Even if our loved one doesn’t choose to give directly, when they tell others the story of your gift, they will also be raising awareness for the cause it represents.
Gift of memories
Christmas is a time to share with our loved ones. One way to really accentuate this is to divert the festivities from opening presents and really make it an event. Gather the family, have a feast, tell stories, play party games, or go on a small adventure together. Create memories that can be looked back upon for years to come. If you’d like, take photos and then share them with your family to extend the holiday joy for days after they’ve already passed. The experiences we share are much more valuable than any gift we can give.
This year, take on the challenge of creating your Christmas. Make unique, personalized gifts for your loved ones or give them an experience they can cherish. Whatever you choose to do, take a moment or two to reflect on your loved ones and give from the heart.