Gift-Giving Without Debt

With the holidays just around the corner, fond memories of Christmas are stirred up in my head. What I remember most is wrapping presents (often a clunky homemade gift I’d crafted) in front of the fire (and occasionally setting some wrapping paper on fire), watching animated Christmas specials on TV, baking and decorating the tree (I probably need a comma after ‘baking’ or it sounds like I’m baking the tree).

As an adult, when I realize that December 25^th is coming up fast (I always say this, but the truth is, until we learn how to manipulate the time-space continuum, Christmas will come at exactly the same speed as it has every year), I tend to worry – about whether I have the money for gifts as well as about what to get people. But over the years I have found that going back to making gifts is fun and easy, and the delight on the face of the recipient always warms me like a mug of adult eggnog (a.k.a. rumnog). 

(And P.S., if you want to know what to give me this year, how about a ride to a 12-Step Program for people who are addicted to parentheses?)

Here are just a few ideas for going au natural with your gift-giving this year:

Personalized Gift Certificate

On your computer or by hand, create a simple gift certificate or book of coupons for a specific person. For example, you might offer a back or foot rub, a homemade dinner, to do their chores for a period of time, or special (wink, wink) favors.

by Selena Templeton

Gifts You Make With Your Own Special Skills

If you know how to do something really well, use your talent to create something for that special someone. Paint a picture of the recipient (and if it doesn’t work out, call it abstract art), knit a scarf in her favorite color, compose a song about him, write a short story about one of her accomplishments, build a shelf, make a sandwich, hotwire a car, rob a liquor store – whatever. The point is, put those skills to good use! 

Make a Scrapbook

Put together a scrapbook of your loved one’s life so far. Buy a beautiful album and include photos, souvenirs, lockets of hair (taken with permission, of course) and memories of special occasions. Inscribe the scrapbook with a heartfelt letter about why this person is so special to you. 

Movie Trailer

If you have both the equipment and the talent, not to mention the footage, put together a “movie trailer” of your special someone’s life. Include a voice-over, music and fake title. Make it funny, action-packed or sweet. 

Personalized Quilt

This gift idea is especially nice for your children. If you have the material, cut out squares of fabric from your child's clothes (preferably not the clothes they’re still wearing) and make a quilt.

Bake Cookies

Spend an afternoon baking holiday cookies, bars or other sweets and put them in a nice tin or basket. For a special touch, create a label with your “company” name and logo. I once did this and called my company “Bakers Par Nuit” (Bakers By Night, since I was up ‘til all hours redoing it; clearly, this wasn’t my special skill).

Photo Calendars

Choose 12 pictures that are relevant to the recipient and perhaps even match them to each month (like a photo from her previous birthday for her birth month) and create a calendar. You can make it yourself or take the pictures to a stationery store and have them do it for you.

Mixed CD

Make a personalized mixed CD. Choose songs that are meaningful to your relationship; or select funny tracks that you know will put your loved one in a good mood.

It’s easy to subscribe to the belief that gifts must be large, expensive and store-bought in our commercial-driven society, but slowing down a bit and putting just a little thought into your gifts will make this year’s holiday more meaningful and special. After all, what will you remember in five or ten years: the new techno gizmo you received, or the unintentional Picasso-like portrait painted of you and framed?


*originally published in The Garlick Press, a Canadian magazine about natural living