About Gifting Experiences

I don’t want or need many material things.

I prefer being gifted with experiences over anything I can unwrap. For the past few years, I’ve wanted much less stuff for Christmas and have craved more experiences and quality time with people I care about. Awhile back when I heard about minimalism and read more about The Minimalists (Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus) and their book, Essential, some of their essays resonated with me and were refreshing reminders that material items don’t matter as much as we think they do. While I don’t knock having nice things, I believe having nice experiences mean more.

Think about it. If and when you go get a massage, a manicure/pedicure, go to a concert, take a cooking class, go on a planned trip, attend a professional sporting event, have a wine and paint night, ride around with your family to see the holiday lights, go ice skating, go out for a cup of tea or coffee or cider or hot chocolate with someone you care about, or just sit down and are really present with someone you’re with (instead of scrolling through your phone or quickly posting about what you’re doing on social media) you’re actively creating memories. Yes, you may still be spending money, but you’re actively having experiences vs. a ton of material items you may not even want or need later.

I still get gifts for my loved ones, but I aim to gift experiences where I can. A gift I usually don't mind receiving is quality clothing I can wear, which is thoughtful because we all need clothing, right? However, I'm learning not to be attached to stuff. I don't need additional coffee mugs, electronics, jewelry, shoes, books, movies, journals, or anything else that will clutter my space. You probably don't need any more of those things either. This Christmas, I encourage you to be mindful of your purchases and gift requests. Aim to gift and have more experiences than stuff. I believe you'll enjoy the experiences more.

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Making Waves