Forget about the price tag

By now, you may be fully aware of how our timelines and TV's are flooded with ads to get the best gift for your loved ones. You may still be in the throes of what to get your loved one. The three main things being its affordability, how meaningful it will be for them and whether it will make them smile from cheek to cheek when they unwrap it.

The constant bombardment of purchasing a meaningful gift and expectations we set for ourselves and our loved ones has inevitably caused us to miss the main point of giving a gift; moving from experiences to the purchasing of stuff.

Could the festive season we are creating be overwrought by consumerism that we forget to experience the true art of gift-giving which is the experience that lasts long after Christmas has passed?

How to tap into meaningful gift giving

Before you think of all the people you are planning on gifting. Before you make the list and draw up the budget, have you asked yourself how meaningful your gift-giving is? 

What does it mean to meaningfully gift someone be it a friend, family or charity? Changing the way we think of this by being intentional, creative and thoughtful of how we choose our gifts is a start to creating a meaningful gift this holiday.

Think of why you are purchasing a gift:

Will it fulfil a need or want that will go beyond the festive holiday?

Have you put thought on how to make your gift interesting for them?

Are you using the gift as a replacement of your physical presence in their lives?

Doing this can help you create meaningful gifts that offer a long-term experience, and in turn, make gift-giving affordable in the long run.

Investing in things that last longer

You may not remember a present that was given to you by a relative when you were eight years old, but the thing that keeps coming back is the experience that birthed nostalgic memories that certain people have given you.

But where can you start to do this for your loved ones? Being able to protect your a loved ones financial future is a gift that keeps on giving. You can start by taking out a life insurance policy that will protect them financially, even when you are no longer around to do so. Time is also the most valuable asset that you can offer to anyone.

Being able to give this to them by creating a homemade holiday; filled with home-cooked meals, D.I.Y gifts that are handy or creating an experience that keeps everyone actively involved away from their phones are some of the inexpensive ways to go about it.

With the curveballs that the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown our way, spending time with the people we love has become a crucial affair. After all, it’s the memories we create and the way that people make us feel that last longer over time.