Lori Hager
Presents: Blessing or Burden?
In the midst of holiday gift giving, I can’t help but think about the fact that often these well-intentioned gifts eventually lead to more stress for the giver and the receiver. Most gifts are given out love, but others for necessity, “fairness”, or tradition that can leave the sentiment lacking.
Don’t get me wrong, I love giving gifts! However as an organizer constantly decluttering clients homes I see them in a totally different light now. I’ve had to dive deep to try and figure out what to give friends and family that is needed, wanted, and/or experiential.
As everyone has inevitably experienced at some point the joy of material gifts fade over time. Especially for kids! Even the most anticipated Christmas toys can become nothing more than a chore to clean up.
**Did you know the average child in the developed world owns over 200 toys but only plays with 12 of them on average per day! Even crazier? Only 3% of the world’s children live in the US, but they own 40+% of the world’s toys!**
Wowza!
Many studies have shown that material possessions do not equal happiness and that experiences are much more intrinsically fulfilling than things. You don’t have to find a place to store experiences except in your heart, memory, and maybe in a photo book! Win Win!
Do you know how often I’ve heard this from a client, “Oh that was a present from _____, I can’t get rid of it!”, or “I won’t ever use that, it was a gift.” We become bound to these gifts even if the giver has passed away, sometimes that can make the urge to keep even stronger.
People tend to get less happy with material purchases over time, and more happy with experiences. This may be because we adapt to physical things, so even the nicest car or newest phone becomes ordinary with enough time, while memories tend to get fonder with age.
We can remember negative experiences fondly as a funny story or bonding experience with others (commiserating can be hilarious sometimes). Experiences are also a uniting factor. You are more likely to bond with someone who enjoys the same hobby, activity, or travels as you than with someone who has similar possessions.
Here are some examples of experiential gifts:
Plan a garden by giving plant seeds
Sports season pass or game tickets
Indoor rock climbing membership
Volunteer for charity
Class to learn a new skill
Museum memberships
Science center memberships
Escape rooms
Community theater tickets
Orchestra season tickets
Nature center trips
Bowling or Skate outing
Zoo membership
Camping trip
Adventure sports: mountain biking, skydiving, scuba etc.
Local attraction passes: i.e. museum or historic tour
Fun family outing
Art classes
Home made treats: cookies, candy, bread, etc.
Bounce park pass/trip
Babysitting (so new parents can have a evening out)
Favorite drink of choice
Hiking in a new park
Treasure hunt
Geo caching
Fire wood for fireplace or outdoor pit
Movie tickets
Brunch, lunch, or dinner dates
Game nights
Landscaping services, lawn care
Home brewing kit
Massage gift card
Salon gift card
Organizing services *wink *wink
It is important to note that some thought and dates should come attached to these gifts. For gift cards to things like massage therapists and salons do some research into who the recipient normally goes to. If you need to ask, but want to keep it a surprise, ask them for a “referral” to who they see.
Unless the date is already set (like a seasonal membership or class), you should at the very least tentatively set them. Buy tickets for a specific game, give the recipient a couple dates to work with for dinner, plan that camping trip. You want to show that you are serious and will not be forgetting about your plans together once the holiday season is over. Also gift cards are notorious for being forgotten and unused. I find them almost every time I declutter someones offices. For one client I found almost a $1,000 in gift cards she had completely forgotten about!
So my conclusion, GIVE EXPERIENCES and make plans to actually do them!
Go forth and gift from the heart, but leave all that baggage behind!
Also don't forget my Holiday Deal is still in full swing till January 5th 2019!
Get 10% off everything including my already discounted package rates.
Give the gift of organization this year!