Simple Preparations for Meaningful Gift Giving

Photo by Katie Azi on Unsplash

In our home we try to keep gifts simple, small, meaningful, purposeful, and quite often handmade, as well as balancing and honouring the wishes of the person receiving the gift as much as we can.

One way to help us stay clear and on budget with gift giving is by creating a list well in advance. This list includes all the recipients we wish to give gifts to and make gifts for, alongside our own small family’s gift ideas.

Another way in which we try to minimize unneeded or excessive gift giving is by following a little gift giving verse such as this one.

• Something you want

• Something you need

• Something to give

• Something to read

I ask the children for ideas about what they might want. They usually need updated art supplies, crayons, paints, paper, clothing, or accessories. Each child chooses a charity to give to and I choose a seasonal book to read for each. The third line in this verse ‘something to give’ emphasizes the true spirit of Christmas, and many other charitable holidays, by giving to others. The children receive money that they can donate to a charity of their choice. You can read more about this tradition of giving here.

Below are some gift suggestions to help inspire you this season.

1. Something you want

• Playstand

• Sarah’s Silks

• Playstand pegs

• Child’s Broom

2. Something you need

• Beeswax Block Crayons

• Beeswax Stick Crayons

• Lyra Pencils

• Watercolor Pencils

• Opaque Watercolour Set

• Muddo Tuffy Buddo

3. Something to give

• Women’s Earth Alliance

• Sea Shepherd

• Best Friends Animal Society

• Snow Leopard Trust

• Red Panda Trust

• Heifer International

• The Nature Conservancy

• Slow Food International

• Sierra Club

• The Ocean Conservancy

• World Resources Institute

• World Wildlife Fund

4. Something to read

• Over And Under The Snow – Kate Messnar

• The Story of The Snow Children – Sibylle Von Offers

• The Tomten – Astrid Lindgren

• Winter – Gerda Muller

• The Hat – Jan Brett

• December’s Gift – A Hanukkah Story

• The Light in The Lantern

• The Longest Night – Marion Dane Baur

• Advent and Christmas Stories – Estelle Bryer and Janni Nicol

• The Legend of St Nicholas – Dandi Daley MacKall

• Christmas in Noisy Village –  Astrid Lindgren

• Peter and Lotta’s Christmas – Elsa Beskow

• Paths to Peace – Jane Breskin Zalben

• Sky Sisters – Jan Bordeau Waboose

• A Symphony of Whales – Steve Schuch

• The Snowy Day – Ezra Jack Keats

• The Mitten – Jan Brett

How do you organize gift giving in your home? Do you make gifts, follow any traditions, or celebrate festivals throughout the season in a special and meaningful way?  Feel free to add to the list in the comments section, we would love to hear from you and what you are planning for the holidays.

PS. Here are are few more Journal Posts that might help inform your gift-giving this season.

When It Comes to Toys Less is More

5 Gifts You Can Make with Your Kids Right Now.

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