Are you tired of coming up with gift ideas for your whole family year after year? Do you already have too many things? I understand—I’ve been there too! I can’t quite recall whether it was the overcrowded rooms full of toys, the weeks spent breaking down boxes from birthday and holiday gifts to fit into the recycling bin, or the frustration of watching my sons play with the carefully chosen gifts just once before ignoring them forever that led me to rethink my approach to gifting. Not to mention the costs associated with all that stuff!
What if I told you that you could delight your family members with a gift that creates excitement and memories for years without all the stress? I will share three steps to becoming a HERO gift-giver, delivering joy and gratitude to your gift recipients while minimizing stress.
Step One: Shift Your Mindset Around Gifting
Giving and receiving gifts can evoke a wide range of emotions. As a gift giver, your goal is to make the recipient happy—that’s the essence of gifting: to bring joy and excitement and to trigger the release of endorphins, which boost self-esteem and happiness. However, gifting can also come with anxiety over whether the recipient will like it, leading to disappointment and frustration. I realized that my mindset was vital. I had been expecting more positive feelings and less disappointment, contributing to my frustration. Reflecting on the emotions you want your gift to convey is essential. Are you getting the desired results? If not, it’s time for a mindset shift.
Step Two: Consider Alternatives to Physical Gifts
At this stage of my life—I’m a solid GenXer, a part-time empty nester, and owner of too many boxes filled with my late parents’ belongings—I’ve become increasingly aware of the clutter in my home. I always have projects underway to sort through and donate items. Psychological studies show that people derive more happiness from experiences than from possessions. This led me to conclude that the solution to my gifting dilemma wasn’t about finding the perfect physical item. Instead, I started gifting experiences—like concerts, plays, activities, events, and especially TRAVEL. Our family has always cherished travel. Even when our sons were young, we took them camping in national parks and managed to visit fabulous international destinations without overwhelming ourselves. The memories and stories we’ve created through travel have been the best gifts (or investments) we’ve ever made. Even when we thought we didn’t have the time or needed to save for long periods, those trips were always the best money spent on ourselves.
Step Three: Maximize the Value of Your Experiences
To further cherish your travels, create a photo book capturing your experiences and gift it for another occasion. I know this step seems to contradict Step Two, but a travel diary or journal packed with pictures truly becomes a gift that keeps on giving. I can’t count the number of times we’ve reminisced about our adventures, only to find that our memories differ slightly. A quick look at the photobook always settles any debate! Additionally, now that my parents have passed, I appreciate having a tangible record of our memories for my adult children. Sorting through old photographs can be overwhelming, but my descendants will always have organized pictures of us together, enjoying life. (And Moms—make sure you’re in the pictures too, not just the one taking them!)
There you have it! My three steps for achieving the emotions you desire through gifting while avoiding stress and accumulating more stuff. With a new mindset, a focus on experiences rather than objects, and a commitment to creating lasting memories, you, too, can become a HERO gift-giver for your family. Let’s get started! Dream about where to go, jot down your ideas, and we can begin planning your BEST GIFT EVER!
