Health Advocate Blog

Giving gifts with meaning

The constant barrage of shopping commercials, emails and other sales alerts can be quite overwhelming this time of year – you may feel like you must buy six spatulas so you can get the best deal. But who really wants a spatula (or six) for the holidays? To help save yourself the stress and anxiety of frantic shopping, and to avoid giving someone an unwanted gift they will likely return or re-gift, think outside the box this year for more thoughtful, meaningful ideas that will be a hit with friends and family:

  • Something from the heart. A great gift doesn’t have to cost a lot. Are you a great baker? Make everyone on your list a dozen of your famous cookies, delivered in a holiday tin or basket. Enlist your kids to produce one-of-a-kind artwork for the grandparents, or make a calendar of family photos. Use your talents to create unique gifts that will be more meaningful to the recipient than a new scarf.
  • A gift in their name. Think about what is important to the person you’re shopping for, whether it is their pets, the environment, or another specific cause. Then look for an organization working to make a difference in that area, and make a donation in your loved one’s name. Other organizations pledge proceeds or needed items to those in need, so the item you buy helps the company give back. Knowing that their gift made a difference to a cause close to their heart will likely mean a lot to them (probably more than that spatula!).
  • A unique experience. What better gift could you give than time spent with you? Treat someone to a fun and unique outing that they may not have thought to do otherwise. From concert tickets and museum exhibitions to food tastings and pottery painting classes, the list of potential ideas is endless. Gift new parents a date night out (with babysitting covered by you!) or send your in-laws to a new exhibition you think they’d enjoy. The memories of a fun experience will last much longer than a box of holiday chocolates.

This holiday season, give everyone on your list unique, one-of-a-kind gifts that they will treasure all year long!

Other Helpful Resources

For ideas about outside the box gift ideas, check out the sites below:

From everyone at Health Advocate, we hope you and your family have a fun and safe holiday!

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