Low Clutter Gift Giving

It’s that time of year: Giving Tuesday, Hanukkah, Christmas, family birthdays. A girl’s mind turns to giving.

I’ve already written about giving to charity in various ways, including–most recently–via donor advised fund.

In this post I am thinking more about the gifts we give to family and friends.

This year, I was more interested in more ephemeral gifts: what with inflation, supply chain issues, and more discussion about decluttering, I thought it might be a good year to think about gifts that won’t linger in a closet for years.

Crucially, it is still important to match the gift to the recipient.

I thought that surely my sister-in-law, well-known in the family for her minimizing ways, would be very excited to have less material gifts.

However, she let me know this was not the year for non-material gifts for her young children; and gave me several suggestions (some very specific, some more vague) of what to buy. Books and toys were the order of the day, and packages galore found their way to that home.

But enough of that, let me move on to some low clutter gifts.

Consumables

(I have included some links to websites; these are NOT affiliate links, and I get no benefit if you decide to purchase something through them, except feeling good about helping someone find a good present.)

Food and treats have been a big hit this year.

I love them because they are so easy to order via the Internet. The company could run out of stock, or delivery could be delayed due to transportation woes; but edible treats are usually quite welcome and are finished relatively quickly, leaving little trace behind. Unless you count a tight waistband.

My mom loves the Royal Riviera pears from Harry and David. For the second year in a row I took the hint and made her very happy by sending a box. A real win, as she is the prototypical woman who has everything. Or, at least, orders what she wants when she wants it.

My brother in law, a total foodie, loved the chocolates I sent last year from a specialty shop I found on a vacation years ago. I haven’t set foot in the shop for over a decade, but have been ordering presents from them for a few years. I never get complaints, and my BIL is getting more chocolate this year too.

There are multiple companies that will send food, candies, or alcohol, on a one-time basis or monthly. One year my sister in law had a wine club send a crate of local (to her/them) wines to our home. We certainly would never have bought any of those bottles on our own. It was very interesting.

Cold hard cash

Sometimes people complain that this is an impersonal present, which can be true. However, especially for young people of a certain age, this offers a freedom of choice that adults who earn a living can take for granted.

My oldest nephew received a check for the holidays this year. This is super helpful for me, because figuring out what a teenage boy wants is …. challenging. I rationalize that by sending a check, he gets all sorts of financial lessons, like: how to endorse a check and deciding how to allocate money (college fund vs buying toys/treats). Mostly, though, he gets the gift of choice.

My step son turns a big number this month, and he always has to deal with holiday gifts vs birthday gifts. Mr. PiN and I are planning to give him a larger amount of money for his birthday, separate from his usual material gifts (usually clothes). Again, he gets the freedom to use the money as he sees fit; we just have to decide how much to give. (Truth be told, we hope he is saving for a down payment on a home; but we won’t ask.)

This is probably a good time to bring up giving to charity in someone’s honor. This can be a great present for those (usual older) people who mean it when they say they don’t need anything for themselves, but who may be very pleased to support a favorite charity.

You can donate the money yourself, or you can buy TisBest Charity Gift Cards, which lets them direct the money to a charity that they can choose later.

Experiences

This sort of gift can allow your recipient an experience that either they might not feel they can afford, or would never even think to spend on.

I had mentioned before that for my sister’s 50th birthday, she went on vacation with her family. And that I paid for a hotel room (actually, a sweet cabin) for one of their nights away. This was one of my favorite gifts to give this year.

It was a fancier place than she had budgeted for the rest of the trip, with a sauna and a great restaurant on site. She and her family had a great time, and I don’t have to worry she will decide my gift clutters up her house.

This sort of present can, of course, backfire.

A few years ago Mr. PiN and I gave a certificate for a pony ride to a younger nephew. He had a good time, but of course, he needed a parent to schedule this and take him there. I think my brother was less enamored of the present than we were. This probably would have worked out better if we were local and had taken him to the activity ourselves.

A gift certificate for a massage, or manicure, might be a treat for family members who wouldn’t normally spend on themselves. Or, if you guess wrong, using it up could be a chore. As I wrote earlier, it’s important to match the gift to the recipient.

Gifts of Service

This fall we have been lucky to receive and to be able to give assistance which, basically, no money can buy.

Mr. PiN’s sister, during her long stays with us, has been so helpful in dealing with my father in law, who often needs a lot of attention from Mr. PiN. Even though her visits aren’t that long, when she frees up a few hours a day for Mr. PiN, it is wonderful.

Our biggest gift, though, was send Mr. PiN to my parents a few months ago. For once, I really knew that it was appreciated. My family is not big on saying the words, “I love you,” but Mr. PiN has taught me to say that more often. I figured right before a big surgery was a good time to bring out that phrase. My mom surprised me by saying “I know you do, you sent your husband.” A big gift, and a lovely thank you.

For less dramatic gifts, providing babysitting, running errands, shoveling sidewalks and driveways are all thoughtful gifts that don’t have to cost you money and most certainly won’t leave your friend or family member wondering what to do with your present in 5 years when they dig it out of the closet.

Do you have a favorite gift that you have given? A favorite that you received? Anything useful for last-minute givers?