Do the holidays have you stressed out? Wondering what to buy that special someone on your list? If so, you are not alone! This time of year is stressful for many reasons, but finding the “right”gift surely tops the list.
A couple of years ago I wrote a post suggesting some other ideas to buying traditional material goods, thinking that giving one an experience is so much better. Some of you may be new to my blog so I will re-publish it now in case you are struggling for ideas.
Do you know research has been done on gift-giving and and that overwhelmingly
studies show that people get more happiness from EXPERIENCES rather than possessions
which makes sense if you think about it–the experience allows you to anticipate the event, get excited about it, then participate in it, and then afterwards, enjoy the memories of the event. Studies show that even when things go wrong, people often look back on the minor mishaps with humor and overall, the edges get softened so that the moments seem even sweeter than they actually were. Giving experiences is really the gift that KEEPS ON GIVING!
The average child in the developed world owns over 200 toys but only plays with 12 of them on average per day!
Even crazier? Only 3% of the world’s children live in the US, but they own 40+% of the world’s toys!
According to becomingminimalist.com The United States has upward of 50,000 storage facilities, more than five times the number of Starbucks. The New York Times states that 1 out of every 10 Americans rent offsite storage—the fastest growing segment of the commercial real estate industry over the past four decades.
So how to avoid giving possessions? Think outside of the box!
Here are a few ideas:
- Membership to their local Arboretum, Botanical garden or Nature Center or park
- If they live close to a National Park or State Park, you could give a year Park Pass.
- Speaking of parks, how about a map or book featuring some trails in that park where they can go and spend time?
- Museum or Science center memberships
- Local attraction season passes–like here in western North Carolina we have the Biltmore Estate which is a pricey place to visit but for someone who goes regularly to walk and enjoy the gardens, a year pass makes sense. Maybe you have an attraction like this where you live.
- Inspire new hobbies such as camping or hiking with equipment necessary for those activities. Or how about a guide book telling where to go camping, or fishing or canoeing.
For those that live in the same town as you or nearby, think about shared experiences, GIVE YOUR TIME, which honestly is the best gift you can ever offer:
TAKE someone on your list on a
- hike
- or a picnic
- fishing if that’s your passion
- or swimming in the secret spot only you know about
- drive a new road to a new park
- or offer to go camping for a weekend
- host a campfire
- join them at a paint your own pottery studio or take a class with them
But are you thinking, “How can I GIVE that? How do you wrap an experience?” Be creative! Make a coupon. Create a mini book with pictures or information. How about making a dvd about this future experience? Or wrap something in a box that is a hint or a necessary piece of equipment, like a headlamp for a camping trip or a picnic blanket for a picnic.
This will get them excited for it and then you can choose a date together and MAKE IT HAPPEN.
Here’s a LINK to a website with 46 experiences you can give.
Let me know what you think or what ideas you have. Maybe you’ve already thought of the perfect experience to give….why not share it with others?
Hi, Sharon, Yes, finding an appropriate gift – what a pain! Even members of the same nuclear family dread the great difficulty with it, especially when the intended recipients have no identifiable interests. I’m so glad to be free of that and the eye-rolling which says, “And just what am I supposed to do with this?!” And even if you have certain interests, they say, “You’re so hard to buy for!” There is no joy in what amounts to exchanging money, so I’m enjoying what makes me happy by buying books with new information (on wolves, regaining our wild instincts, and a man who climbs the tallest trees in the world to photograph such animals as the harpy eagle … and remembering my parents by buying some Breton crackers and Smoked Gruyere Cheese I used to buy at The Cheese Shoppe, and share with them.
Did you know researchers at Sussex University reported that one can reduce stress by 68% in as little as 6 minutes by reading, far better than other ways such as listening to music, etc.? Non-readers are missing out on so much of life.
I guess it depends what one reads. If it’s the news— forget it! It won’t reduce stress it will cause it, at least here in the US anyway. Murray, thanks for reading and taking time to share your thoughts. Hope your day was beautiful.