Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash       

I have four suggestions for holiday gifts this year, and while I’m making these suggestions with Christmas in mind, I think they could be nice ideas for other celebrations, too!

First, if you don’t mind giving an early gift, holiday decorations can actually be a very nice way to get people into the holiday spirit. Here in Canada, giving a wreath, some Christmas ornaments, or some nice candles could help someone to decorate their home and enjoy the season more. Something that they can decorate their front door with, like a seasonal floral decoration, or see as soon as they come home will give them a happy feeling and perhaps remind them of you every time they see it. This year, I’m bringing a Christmas tree to my grandmother (along with a few other decorations) because it’s hard for her to decorate by herself these days. In this case, bringing the holiday spirit may be the best gift of all! 

Second, a personalized or engraved gift or a signed book with a message in it can become a treasure for life. One of my favourite books, and one that I will never part with, is a collection of Sherlock Holmes stories that I received as a gift when I was young. I received it from a friend of the family, who wrote a short, inspiring message to me inside the cover, and it has always had a special place on my shelf since then. This year, I have been considering ordering a utility knife from Victorinox for my father with our family name engraved on it. Such a gift could be passed down to someone else in the family someday and could become a family heirloom.

Third, a magazine may seem like an old-fashioned gift in this digital age, but people are generally pretty happy to get them as gifts during the holidays. They make for great light reading during the holidays and often inspire people. My father enjoys homebuilding magazines and has been inspired to design his own house, my wife loves cooking magazines and gets inspired to try new recipes, and my grandmother likes news magazines that summarize the big stories of the year so that she has some things to talk about with her friends. Most people I know resist spending money on magazines for themselves, so getting one as a gift once in a while can be a nice treat! In fact, I’m pretty sure that there’s a magazine for me wrapped up under our Christmas tree this year!

Finally, for someone who really doesn’t need anything or doesn’t want to accumulate more stuff, a charitable donation on their behalf could be greatly appreciated. Do you know something that they like, believe in, or support? Perhaps there’s a related organization that you could make a small donation to in your friend or family member’s name. For example, everyone in my family loves animals, so one year I made a donation to the World Wildlife Fund on behalf of my whole family instead of buying a bunch of individual gifts. And when it comes to donations, even a small amount, like $25, is enough to make an impact!

Of course, there are lots of other good gifts, too! I’m a fan of books, puzzles, games, coffee, and snacks as gifts to enjoy the cold winter months indoors. However, I hope that the ideas above give you some other, more memorable options! Take care and happy holidays!