Tips on unusual Christmas gifts! Give away your time or an experience with you this Christmas!

Now when Christmas is approaching maybe you have some problems with some of the gifts! We all know someone, or have older family members who “have everything”. Usually, we strain our brains to invent just the “thing” that they not yet have, but something they might need. And that can be quite alright, if you’re an inventive person you’ll buy that special gift that will make their day and something they didn’t even know they needed!

But if you can’t think of anything than a good-smelling soap, warm socks or any other useful things that everyone needs, then I have some tips that can give long lasting memories and great experiences.

To be honest, have you not received a gift that you really didn’t wont, and instead of joy, you started to wonder; “where in the **** should I put that item”, because your home is full of useful and useless things already! Some people have so many things, and all shelves and cabinets are heavy, and their problem is rather what they should do whit all the things they already have! To be overwhelmed with stuff can even feel burdensome for some.

With children there is usually never a problem they love “things”, toys and so on. And for children there is so much to buy, that the problem sometimes can be the opposite, there is more to buy than one can afford! But if you feel that even your children have too many toys and know that they will get plenty of toys anyway, I have some ideas of different kind of gifts for them to.

This hub can also be useful for those who are getting slightly tired of this consumption frenzy that occurs every Christmas. Every year we beat the last years record of money spent on Christmas gifts. For how long can that go on?

Don’t get me wrong, I love presents, both receiving and most of all giving to others, and there will not be a proper Christmas without gifts. But this is most important for the children, as an adult you don’t have to get piles of packages to be happy.

However, what most of us don’t have is time! So instead of things;

The actual time you give away doesn’t have to be around Christmas time. It can even be better if they have something to look forward to later on. And at the same time, give an experience that they can remember for a long time. The gifts must be in proportion to your budget, and that shouldn’t be to hard. It isn’t about the costs, it is TIME you give away, not money!

Christmas gifts to your parents or in-laws!

If you have both your parents living together, e.g. help them with an experience or a short trip or an excursion to some place they can not get to themselves. Or if they don’t share the same interest, give them one trip or experience each! This is also a good idea if you just want to be alone with each of them. I once gave my mom a lovely cruise to the archipelago where she spent much time as young. It was a very popular outing as she often said afterwards. And I wish that I had taken the opportunity to spend some quality time with my father before it was to late, but sadly, I didn’t.

Other appreciated gifts can be to give away tickets to concerts, performances, exhibitions or similar. Or give away a few of your days to help them in their home with something and enjoy to be with them. The point is that you, or other family member, will do it with them. Remember, you give away quality time, not things!

Christmas gifts to your siblings!

Here one can go on in just the same way, give away something that they would not indulge themselves, and simultaneously create quality time for both you and your sibling. But perhaps it can be a little more daring than with your parents, they might want to go bungee jumping, climbing mountain or go skydiving! Or give them one or two hotel nights with some activity you can share during the day, such as shopping or a visit to museum. If your siblings have many children the gift can be to look after the children while they can get away as a couple. The parents may need a nudge to get away from their family and have adult time of their one. Or clean up their homes! Families with children and full time jobs never get a chance to have a clean home themselves, so that will be appreciated. Take along your scrub brushes and rags and do not leave the house until everything is spotless clean! Here I can go on and on, but I think you get the picture!

Christmas gifts to your loved one!

To invent something to give to your loved one isn’t as difficult, I can imagine! Who knows better than you what your spouse need the most? It can bee the possibility to spend time with you, when you do something together, something you have talked about but never had the time ore chance to realize. Or give an experience that will spoil him or her. Go to a Spa; socialize in a relaxed environment, where you have arranged for treatments, massages, good food and a nice bed for the night. Or you can give him/her time with friends if that is what’s needed. Maybe your partner needs to be totally alone, go fishing, hiking or just get away. Or visit some place that both of you want to see. But make sure it is a gift that includes an experience, and that it isn´t a useful gift!

Christmas gifts to your children!

Even your children can have benefit from time with you. It isn’t always easy to have enough time for the kids, that kind of time where you are truly present and are included in their experiences.This can be even more important if you have many children. A gift that include amusing time for the children is quite easy to create, and here you just have think about what’s suites the child? What is she/he interested in that you can experience together? Especially teenagers who usually spend much time with friends, may need to get away from home and spend time together with you. The gift to your teenager can be a “grownup” experience of some kind. Something you know they long for, e.g. drive a car at a racetrack, hiking, climb a mountain, a shopping weekend, a Spa weekend, or go to a concert. Only you know what’s suits your children.

This way you know your money is well spent, you don’t give away an unwanted thing, and the most important of all; you have the opportunity to socialise with the one you love. Time is precious, and we all have limited time. Let’s make the most of it!