Do you know a family like mine? Someone who has tried to downsize this year and go to a simpler and more minimal lifestyle? Here are 5 AWESOME gift ideas my family would love to receive this year. Because moving into a Tiny Home means I need less stuff and more experiences. Let this list inspire your holiday gift giving for the minimalist in your life.
My Minimalist Holiday Gift Guide
These represent 5 things I want for Christmas this year, and it might not jive with the minimalist in your life. That’s okay. Holiday Gift Guide for the Minimalist is to help spark some creativity and ideas around your gift-giving season this year.
- Beverage of their Fancy: Wine, Beer, Coffee, Case of Cranberry Gingerale?
- Flowers and/or plants: We don’t’ give the gift of nature enough, and with the long days of winter, flowers or small household plants are a great way to perk up the dreary insides. I prefer flowers because they are already dead and give me more joy than a household plant.
- Gift Cards: Sounds tacky, but let’s get over that because its 2017 and Gift Cards are seriously awesome. They are even more amazing if it’s a Gift Card to a favourite coffee shop, play space, or a local boutique. Gift Cards are not cop-out gifts because they say Hey, I know you need things but you don’t want things, so here’s some spending money to get exactly what you need without all the song and dance.
- Out for Meal: It doesn’t have to be dinner, but even breakfast or lunch. Cover the cost of a meal together and the experience of getting out together is not forgotten. If eating out isn’t in the budget, invite them in. Nothing says I’m thinking of you and love you like time together.
- Something Practical: If you must, be intuned with what they really need and buy something practical or replace something that is ageing or worn out. For example, I need new measuring cups after mine broke this year. This gift is for the well-versed friend or family member.
3 Things NOT to buy the Minimalist Family.
I just need to touch base with you on a few gifts I threw out or donated this past month during my great purge.
- Bath Soaps & Beauty Packages: You know those pre-assembled kits at the grocery store or drug store? Ya? DO NOT DO IT. Chances are it’s not to their taste, it’s more stuff than they want, and more packaging than they care for. Skip it. DIY’ers out there, that’s okay because I’ll use it knowing you poured blood sweat and tears into it.
- Weird, Random & Impractical Food: Don’t we all have that stash of spice mixes for making party dips in the back of our cupboards? I do! I also have a can of candy cane flavoured Hot Chocolate, along with some weird inedible chocolates and candies. Think before you buy those consumables. Would you eat these? Will they use them within a 3-month span? No? DONT DO IT.
- Scarves: Why does everyone give scarves? I just donated a massive bag of scarves I’ve been given over the years. I only need 1-2-3 scarfs, and even then, as a person, I don’t usually wear a scarf. Now gloves, always losing those, but instead give me a gift card to the sport shop in town with a note to find the perfect pair of fitting gloves for the season!
I want a clean house (like by a professional) and some freezer meals. I’d like the hole in my roof to be fixed so creatures don’t decide my home is their home when it gets too cold. I’d like some memberships or punch cards to the local museum, playspace, pool, and art galley. Heck, I might even want a few nights of a paid babysitter since my husband and I have gone out exactly 3 times in the nearly 4 years since we’ve had our kids. Also, I’d live a few really good solid hours of sleep, but there’s dreaming, and then there’s dreaming…
Some serious wishes. I’m thinking the gift of housecleaning is a good gift for my secret santa this year!
I actually don’t really like gift cards… I find we end up collecting them because we get gift cards to places we don’t frequent (like restaurants that other people seem to love, but seriously makes us sick). So, I say gift cards should also be reserved for places you know the person will need to be shopping because they told you so or because it is obvious (Amazon gift cards are usually pretty safe).
I generally prefer experience gifts. I agree that going out with the person is great. If I know you well enough to justify a gift (let’s not feel obligated to give everyone a present) then I’d love to actually spend time with you. Museum memberships are also great!
That’s a fair point. For my birhtdya I got a plethora of starbucks cards, so I’m totally smitten right now as Starbucks is my go to study place #currentlylocation