Author and minimalist Joshua Becker says many consumers in the US go into the holiday season with leftover debt from the previous year AND then rack up new debt in the current season. YIKES!

“Giving gifts is an expression of love, and it has been for thousands of years. Well before our consumer-driven society, people offered gifts as a sign of respect and admiration. Kings, peasants, and everyone in-between.

This is not an argument for no longer giving gifts to people we love. I think giving gifts is great. But I do think it would be wise for us to rethink how we give them.”

Giving experience gifts is becoming increasingly popular. Here’s some suggestions why to get in on the trend and some ideas to get you started.

• It creates less waste. All those mountains of discarded wrapping paper and the crazy amount of plastic packaging kids toys come in these days – it’s next level! Not to mention the amount of unwanted gifts given every year that either take up space in the back of the cupboard, or worse, end up in landfill. Gifting experiences rather than presents is more sustainable!

• It’s more memorable. A thoughtful gift of an experience someone will actually enjoy will create lasting memories.

• You can avoid shopping center chaos. Mall mayhem. Shopping center chaos. Carpark rage. No thanks, I’ll pass!
• It can be a bonding experience. Gifting an experience is fantastic, but an experience you can share together? Even better. Giving the gift of your time is a great bonding experience to share. People love that you want to spend time with them, especially kids. 
• Experiences enrich our lives. While a lot of people don’t want or need more stuff, most people would admit to wanting more fun and enjoyment in their lives! Experience gifts are enriching. They give us new things to put in our memory bank and new stories to tell. 

Need a little inspiration to help you sort your Christmas list? Here’s a few suggestions to get you started:

• A horse riding adventure
• Tickets to a favourite sporting event
• Concert or theatre tickets
• A cooking class
• A restaurant voucher
• Passes to a local attraction, like Go Karting or indoor rock climbing
• Ten pin bowling
• A subscription to a favourite magazine
• Movie tickets
• A voucher for a family photo session
• A night off – offer to babysit for a couple so they can enjoy a night out on their own
• A musical instrument and lessons (maybe not a recorder if you want to be invited over next Christmas)

Over to you! What do you think? Do you give experiences as gifts in your family? Hit comment and let me know back, I would love to hear from you.

Blessings, Hiddyx

P.S. Grab my FREE Busy Mums Slow Down™ Kickstart Guide – the stress free and simple step by step guide to fitting an hour of me time into your day. Or check out ways to connect with me here – https://linktr.ee/hiddyandco