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Updated: Nov 28, 2021
We all love to give holiday gifts as well as receive them. This year, rather than give your friends and loved ones something to hold (and dust and move and store), why not give them memories instead?
Give a gift of your time
Have lunch, go for a hike, or take a class together. Talk about the fun times you've had and the fun times you will have. Ask about their dreams and hopes for this next year.
Give a donation in someone's name
You could adopt an animal at your local zoo or give to the humane society in your friend's name. Donate to your local food bank or give a gift to a child in need. Give to an organization that has helped a loved one get through tough times. Here are a few other options:
TIST (The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program)
Creating effective afforestation and improving farmers' income in response to global climate change!
Heifer International — give a gift of a goat, a heifer, a chicken, and more
They’re on a mission to end hunger and poverty in a sustainable way by supporting and investing alongside local farmers and their communities.
Heifer Gift Catalog
Heifer USA supports small-scale farmers
Give a gift of memories
Steve and I invited both our families to share our first Christmas in Hawaii. Because there was nothing we needed, we asked each family member to give us a Christmas ornament instead. That Christmas, we got memories we hang on the tree every year. I also took pictures of each ornament and its giver, then created photo albums we gave back to our families the following Christmas. Now they can share the memories, too.
So, whether you use one of these ideas or create other ways to give wonderful memories this holiday season, make sure you have fun and enjoy life.