COVID-19 has changed the way we are working, living, and spending. With holidays happening just around the corner, the stress of finding someone the perfect gift is looming – because this year, we all deserve something nice.
No one said you have to drop a pretty penny in order to give a great gift to friends, family, and loved ones. Use the ideas below to get started and send everyone some holiday cheer.
Get crafty
You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to use and gather supplies for some easy DIY gifts.
- T-shirt blanket – Does someone in your life have an abundance of t-shirts that they keep for memory’s sake? Ask if you can snag the t-shirts and get your sewing skills together to create a custom t-shirt blanket. This puts those t-shirts to use and a great way to give them a second life.
- Become an artist – Get out your markers, crayons, paint and colored pencils to create a one-of-a-kind piece for a friend or family member. You can draw anything! Your favorite memory together, your favorite place, a self-portrait – the possibilities are endless. Not confident in your art skills? Watch and follow along with a painting or drawing YouTube video to help get your creative juices flowing. Try this one for an easy forest painting.
- Reduce and reuse – There are TONS of ways to reuse items you have around the house. Turn an old t-shirt into a grocery bags for a gift, turn an old mason jar into a snow globe, or make some string art with nails, wood, and string. Nobody needs the newest things – the homemade gifts are often the best ones.
- Plant some hope – Have a small jungle in your home from your house plants and succulents? You can cut or propagate parts of your plants off, repot them, and give them to friends. Now part of your plant can grow with your favorite people. Plants for everyone!
Sweet and savory
Share the love. Food is a big part of the holidays, so share your favorite recipes with your loved ones. Enjoy the food and even make it together. Nothing says holidays like a nice meal cooking in the kitchen.
- Family recipes – Is someone in your family getting married? Or is a friend moving into a new house or apartment? Make them a meal and include the recipe and your go-to favorites. Bonus points if you video chat while you both make the recipe and eat it together.
- Baked goods – It’s hard to turn down treats, especially during the holidays. Sometimes the act of making a loaf of bread, tin of muffins or soft cookies is a gift to someone in itself. Package up the goodies and send them off with love and a handwritten note.
- Share the secret – Share the love! Just this once, write down the recipe to the food your friends and family rave about and share it with them. No one can make a dish quite like you, but you can let them try. A handwritten recipe card is a great way to keep a tradition or favorite family recipe bringing smiles and comfort for years.
Cherish the moment
- Coupon book – Personalization is huge during the holidays, and you know exactly what your family and friends love to do. Create a personalized coupon book for a friend or family member. Coupons can be used and redeemed for anything they enjoy, whether it’s cooking a meal for them, having a game night, doing their laundry or taking a walk with them, they will appreciate spending extra time with you. Need ideas on what the coupons could be? Figure out their love language and tailor the coupons on how they best feel loved.
- Photo in time – Have a favorite captured memory? Print it out for a few cents at your closest drug store and get a frame. Add a personal touch by writing why this picture means so much to you, or the story behind it. Make the picture worth more than just a thousand words – write some of them down.
- Movie night – Have some favorite movies in your collection, or one that you don’t watch as much anymore? Grab a bucket, some popcorn, the movies and send them to your pals. Write your own movie review for each and why you think your friends or family should watch them. Give them everything they need to have a movie night at home. Call them later to discuss the movie.
- Personalized playlist – Mixed CDs and cassette tapes may date yourself, but sometimes music can say what you are feeling. Have a certain artist or song that reminds you of someone special in your life? Create a personalized playlist for them to listen to show them your favorite songs or make them think of you. Send them the link to the playlist and enjoy the benefits of music.
The holiday season doesn’t have to be filled with shiny presents, new toys and the hottest electronics to mean something to someone. Sometimes the most thoughtful and useful gifts are the ones that are inexpensive and made with love. Happy gifting!
