Simplify Your Gifting, Part 6

We've made it 6 weeks with Simplify Your Gifting! It's our hope that the last 5 posts have made you think or rethink about your gifting...and not just for the holidays, but gifting throughout the year.

Today's post sums up the whole series...think outside the box! We've covered a lot of gifting ideas that aren't thought of as the usual gift. Who says you have to be like everyone else? It's way more fun to be different! All of today's ideas are going to be a reminder of what we've already covered...and maybe a few new ones!

Outside the box ideas:

• Class or lesson fees
• Membership fees for things like Amazon Prime, book club, or a monthly "box" subscription (Dollar Shave Club, Crate Joy, Ipsy, Fab Fit Fun, Blue Apron, flower shop delivery, etc.)
• Subscriptions (think Highlights magazine...they now have products for 3 different age groups)
• Family pass for a local attraction (sport complex, museum, aquarium, movie theater, etc.)
• Gift cards - yeah, this is a popular gift for some givers, but that's because it's a no-brainer. A gift card allows the recipient to get what they want/need or it could be a much appreciated treat. Think of the young couple who might be just making ends meet...a restaurant gift card would be a perfect date night on someone else's tab (throw in an offer to babysit for free and you've given them a really nice gift). This is also a great way to gift your college student or a young single.
• Hostess gifts - wine is always good, personalized towel set or cutting board, flower arrangement or personalized wreath
• Support a hobby - brushes for the artist, lessons for the young musician, leotards for the dancer
• Time - who says you have to buy anything at all? Sometimes the best gift is just the gift of time. Do a holiday brunch or lunch for/with friends! You could buy or go Dutch...either way, you get to enjoy great food and company.

We want to take a minute to thank you for joining us the last 6 weeks for this series and hope that it's made an impact on your holiday thinking. Consumerism is at its height during the holidays and we're not buying it!

Happy gifting!

Simplify Your Gifting, Part 5

This is a gift idea we are implementing this year...our first year as an official family of 6. Yep...6, that's actually one of the reasons we are doing a family gift.

This year it will look like a trip to the movie theater. A trip like that for a family of 6 can be expensive! We've done it once before and Jason had some sticker shock. We're banking on this idea being a good one for our 6 because we all love movies and our 2 youngest can make it through a whole movie! They love going to the movies and see it as a treat, which makes it a perfect gift.

Other family gift ideas:

• Trip to a museum (or a family pass for the next year)
• Family paint class
• Trip to a holiday special (ice skating and hot chocolate, special light display, etc.)
• A sporting event (doesn't necessarily have to be a winter sport, this could be a gift to look forward to)
• A concert or show (another idea that could be after the holidays)
• A special activity on family vacation (think ahead to where you might be vacationing and look for ideas that would special while already away)

My last idea is bigger...vacation. If you're kids are already full in the toy department or your kids are grown and really don't need anything else, why not save the money you would have used for gifting to do a big family gift of vacation? This could be near the holidays or it could be later in the year. If you still need something for everyone to open, think of some things they might need on the future trip. Beach vacation...new beach towels and/or other beach gear. Mountain vacation....hiking gear. Vacation abroad...passports, non-touristy clothing items/gear, new camera, more memory cards and/or an extra battery for existing camera. Any vacation location...luggage.

I look forward to the fun of this gift and can't wait to see how this trip looks in the years to come. Cheers to the family gift!

Simplify Your Gifting, Part 4

This week's post is about -ship gifting. What is -ship gifting, you ask? This is another idea for giving that could involve goving back through scholarship or sponsorship. -ship gifting could be in honor of someone or it could be for your intended gift recipient.

-ship gifting could look like paying for a month of dance lessons, sports lessons, activity participation fees, or possibly camp fees.

-ship gifting in honor of someone could look like paying for several children to attend a camp or summer enrichment program. Check with your local youth organizations and see if they already have a scholarship fund set up for helping pay fees for kids who's parents can't afford it.

-ship gifting could also look like supporting a friend or family member participating on a mission trip or supporting a missionary in their name.

-ship gifting could also look like sponsoring a local classroom. You could honor a family member by supplying local children with coats for the winter.

-ship gifting allows you to either support your loved one in their passions or you could honor them by giving back. What an amazing way to gift this holiday season!