Gifting with Intention

Gifting with Intention

Gifting with Intention

Crisis Free Christmas: A 6 Week Series

Welcome to Week 4: Gifting with Intention by Sharon

When we’re giving a gift, I think we can all agree that we really want to wow the person we are giving it to. Our intention is to show them that we care and that we thought of them.

We also all love a great bargain and live by the phrase “More bang for your buck”. We feel really accomplished when we are able to load our tree with stacks of gifts for our loved ones to open and didn’t burn a hole through our wallet doing it. Or, we purchase one really expensive gift, hoping they’ll feel lavished. We did good, right??

We place an immense amount of pressure on ourselves to go big when gifting. If we were to give a person just one small gift, or a gift that didn’t cost much, we fear that person will take that as a reflection of how much we care about them. Unfortunately, I believe this hinders us from really giving loved ones gifts with real intentionality. We’re focusing so much on going big that it is given more importance than the thought and care into what we get that person. If you have children in your life, think back to previous holidays. Did they get a lot of use out of every toy they opened? Or did they latch on to one or two things and maybe occasionally use the other things? How many of their toys ended up breaking just a few months later, rendering them useless and doomed for the landfill? Did you end up staying within your budget? Even after finding things at a bargain price? 

I’ll argue that less can sometimes have more impact. This is especially true when we focus our attention on quality over quantity. If our real desire is to make a person feel special and seen by the gift we give, it doesn’t have to take much money but does need some careful thought. If you decide to buy one really great, high quality gift for a loved one it could arguably receive more enthusiasm than a bag full of gifts. 

I’ve fallen into the trap of buying something because it’s cheaper compared to a higher quality item, of course. But so often it comes back to bite me. Especially with toys because they nearly always break. Then I look at my toddler’s Green Toys (they’re made from a nearly indestructible recycled plastic) and they have survived many camping trips, baths, or getting chucked across the room when she’s angry. Not one has broken. Whereas I recently purchased a $10 set of tonka construction trucks for her and a wheel broke off after just two uses.

Experiences like this have really shown me why it pays later to go with a higher quality product in the first place. More expensive doesn’t always mean higher quality either. I can name quite a few high end brands that make really expensive products that are made in the same overseas factories as cheaper brands (and use the same materials). So, it is sometimes true that you are paying for the brand name, not the quality of the product. Often I find that companies with quality products take pride in their work and clearly list on their labels what materials their product is made out of and where it's produced. 

If I’m getting a gift for someone, I don’t want it to break after a couple of uses or get returned because it doesn’t jive with them. And I DEFINITELY don’t want them to feel like they have to stuff it in the back of a closet because they don't like it but don’t feel like they can get rid of it. I want to get it right the first time and make them feel like I was really thinking about them. 

So when you’re buying a gift for someone, take these factors into consideration; What kinds of things does this person actually enjoy? How much use will they get out of it? Is it made from sturdy, quality materials? Have you noticed them mention something they want but never make the move to purchase for themselves? 

 

IDEAS FOR GIFTING

If you are a grandparent or aunt or uncle, ask the parents what their kiddos could use. This can give you insight to what stage of development they are in right now so you can select accordingly. Think about the materials products are made out of and if they are safe for kids to put in their mouths or wear. For toys, think about the life of the toy after it's given. What’s the longevity of it with typical use by a child? 

If you’re a parent, consider implementing a tradition of the Four Gift Rule; Something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read. This allows you to put your focus on four specific items for your children and make each of them really special. Interestingly enough, the families I know that have been doing this feel really excited about it, and their kids always seem to have a real appreciation of what they’ve received. 

If adults in your family share gifts, cut the stress of buying for everyone. We draw names out of a hat in early November and do Secret Santa with a dollar limit. That way, we each are responsible to put our focus on one person and can really get intentional about it. 

You can also buy alternative gifts. Like tickets to go to the movies with you. A gift card to a fancy, local restaurant that they wouldn’t go to on a normal day. Or make them their favorite treat! 

Remember, the amount of things you buy for someone isn’t a measure of your love for them. Your time and intentionality with your loved ones is what matters. 

 

Happy Holidays, 

 

Sharon

 

PS - we've made a collection of some of our top gift items during the holiday season, right here for you.  Order anything from this collection (or anything on our site) by 12/16 to be sure it'll arrive in time for Christmas!

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