As we head into the holidays, I want to share some tips on how to navigate this season while making sure to stay intentional with our spaces and the homes of our loved ones.

Giving gifts is aligned with so many wonderful emotions. Gratitude. Appreciation. Love. Excitement. Endearment. Yet, even the best of intentions can sometimes come with unintended outcomes.

By no means am I saying that you shouldn’t give gifts. I’m simply saying, focus on your intention first and foremost rather than getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season.

3 reminders on how to gift intentionally:

Don’t just buy to buy:
I try to be really mindful of not falling into the “I need to get them something, but I have no clue what! I’ll just grab a random ______ that way they have something to open”. I try to focus on adding value to their lives not clutter so if I can’t find something that fits their needs, I move on to step 2!
Consider Activities, Entertainment or Consumables:
Often we hear of people wishing they got to see their loved ones more often, and reminiscing about that last great dinner out with their friends. Give the gift of dinner together, tickets to a show, or a great bottle of wine to share! Maybe even custom cookies from your favorite bakery. Time spent with the loves we care about is key to our joy in life and often a much more precious gift!
Be respectful of their wishes:
If someone you want to gift has asked for donations to a charity or something else in place of gifts or none at all, consider these requests strongly before buying them anything. Maybe they are looking to downsize and trying to be mindful of storage, maybe they are already feeling overwhelmed by their home. Whatever the reason, if they made it a point to address their preference, respect them by listening. It might not make sense to you but that’s okay!

Hopefully these help you head into the season with a simple plan to find easy ways to gift and be gifted !