It’s that time of year again. The holiday season is just weeks away. Late October, early November is usually the time of year that I start thinking about what would be the best gifts to give for the holidays. I drive myself crazy with this every year because, as a Professional Organizer, I can’t gift anything that might be construed as clutter. To further complicate things, I don’t like giving edible gifts because everyone else seems to send cookies, candy and fruit baskets over the holidays. Frankly, there’s always waaaay too much food to be had from Thanksgiving to the New Year and it’s just all too much.
As we roll into the holiday season it’s always a good thing to be grateful, show that your thankful and give out gifts as a token of your appreciation and love for your friends, family, co-workers, employees, etc. However, I’m thinking that nobody needs another candle, another tchotchke or box of See’s Candy (ok maybe See’s Candy would be good). So…I’d like to suggest thinking out-of-the-box. This holiday season, why not consider giving someone the gift of an experience rather than giving them something they might not want, might not like and/or might not have room for. Do something fun, different, adventurous, educational, enlightening, relaxing. Give a gift that will create a wonderful memory, “a gift that keeps on giving” so to speak.
The following are some suggestions, which will hopefully help you and your loved ones create memories that will last forever:
Experiences
a. Get tickets to a movie, a show, museum or sporting event
b. Share a meal at a new/different restaurant you’ve been wanting to try
c. Start a new family tradition. This is especially great for newly married couples, new parents and blended families
Memberships
a. Theme Park membership
b. Season Tickets to the Movies/Theatre
c. Health Club/Gym membership
Subscriptions
a. Magazines
b. Amazon Prime
c. Spotify (or other music app)
d. Streaming service
Classes/Lessons
a. Cooking
b. Dancing
c. Music
d. Golf
e. Pickleball
Consumables (not my favorite but may work for you)
a. Fruit Basket
b. Restaurant Gift Card
c. Homemade Cookies
d. See’s Candy
Memories
a. Transfer old VHS tapes or DVD’s on to a hard-drive
b. Turn T-shirts/sweatshirts into a quilt
c. Digitize a photo calendar or collage
Health & Wellness:
a. Spa treatment(s)
b. Mani/pedi
c. Sound Bath
d. Go on a retreat
Give Someone a Reprieve
a. Hire Baby-sitter
b. Hire a cleaning service
c. Hire a Professional Organizer (I know, I know…shameless plug)
Adventure
a. Take a road trip to somewhere you’ve never been
b. Do something out of your comfort zone (zip lining, race car driving)
c. Go on a hike and maybe stop and enjoy a picnic
Travel
a. Plan a one night or weekend get-away
b. Round-trip tickets to get out-of-town
c. Day trip locally – Staycation
Of course, there’s always a Gift Certificate available for someone you know who wants some help with Organizing and/or Downsizing (sorry, I couldn’t resist).
We would LOVE to be of service.