Do you struggle with overwhelm when the holiday season comes around? These quick tips on how to simplify gift-giving can help you save time and money so that you can enjoy the parts of the season that matter most.
There are so many things about the Christmas holidays that can get stressful and overwhelming but one that commonly comes with complications is the concept of gift-giving.
Gift-giving at Christmas has become such a common thing that you end up having to get gifts for work, friends, family, and other holiday events involving gift exchanges.
Though the tradition of gift-giving has the potential to be an enjoyable and heartfelt experience, for many people it becomes a chore that just adds stress to the season.
So how do we remedy this problem?
I want to share with you some possible solutions that you can try in order to simplify gift-giving this holiday season.
How to simplify gift-giving this Christmas
1. Set a budget and stick to it
I will never suggest that you go into debt for the sake of Christmas but holiday debt is a growing problem.
If you are someone who is planning to rely on credit cards and repayment plans for your holiday spending, this tip is especially relevant to you.
To save yourself a ton of stress, it helps to establish a gift-giving budget and stick to it.
No one is going to blame you for trying to save a little money.
Be honest and open about what you can comfortably afford to spend and honour that limit.
2. Create limits on the amount of gifts you plan to give
For some family and friends, it’s easy to simply buy one thoughtful gift and be done but what about the people who are closer to you?
How can you make gift-giving for a spouse or for your children simpler and less stressful?
It can be hard to feel like you’ve bought enough for the people you love. It’s easy to want to spoil them and to feel like they should receive more than you bought them.
To combat this feeling, it helps to set an actual limit on the items you will buy them.
Have a concrete number of gifts that you will give and stop buying more gifts once you’ve reached that limit.
There is a popular approach to this called the 7 gift rule and it comes with a set of categories.
Each category covers a type of gift that you will buy for the other person. You can do less than this, too, if there is a category that you don’t want to use:
Category #1: Something you want
This category is for what your loved one simply wants. It serves no purpose other than being a nice treat for the person you are shopping for.
Category #2: Something you need
While you’ll still want to make this gift more fun than practical, this item should be something that contributes to a hobby or a quality of life for the receiver of the gift.
Category #3: Something to wear
Again, this shouldn’t be something too boring or practical like plain socks.
Instead, this covers items that your loved one has been wanting but may not be necessary.
Perhaps it’s an accessory that they really liked, a new watch, or a fun shirt that is more than the regular clothing budget.
Category #4: Something to read
This category is pretty self-explanatory. Gifting a book is always a good idea!
Category #5: Something to do
This is a fun and unique category.
Instead of gifting an item, you buy your loved one an experience.
It could be for a restaurant they like, tickets to a show, or a trip somewhere.
Category #6: Something for ‘me’
This is the most abstract category. It’s all about giving a personalized gift from the heart.
It might be a series of letters written to them, a handmaid ornament, a photo album, or customized jewelry.
This category is the most sentimental of all of them.
Category #7: Something for the family
This is a gift that you buy that the entire family can enjoy together.
It can be a day trip somewhere or a video gaming console for everyone to share. It could be a board game you’ve all wanted to play or tickets for the movies.
Regardless of the item, the sentiment is that it is a gift that celebrates connection and has you spending more time together.
3. Ask for Christmas lists
If you want to save yourself the trouble of guessing what might be a good gift for someone and you like the idea of gifting something you can guarantee they’ll love, this is a great tip for you.
Be blunt and ask them upfront what they want.
If they don’t have a specific item on their wishlist, they can at least tell you a few things you could buy that are always appreciated.
I had a friend who was a teacher and on the first day of school, she tells parents what sort of gifts she appreciates. It wasn’t because she was expecting elaborate gifts, though- she simply wanted to save the parents from any stress that might come from gift-giving.
By demanding that someone be clear about what they want, you can shop without feeling like you’re wasting your time on something they won’t even like.
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4. Have generic gift ideas for emergencies
There are some situations where you might have the desire to buy someone a gift but simply have no good ideas.
Instead of stressing over finding that perfect gift, though, it may be better to simply have some generic gift ideas to fall back on.
Make a list of a few things that you feel like everyone enjoys.
Maybe it’s a gift card to a restaurant you love or a gift basket from your favourite local artisan. It could be a nice wine that you know to be a crowd-pleaser or a trending tool or toy.
Have the ideas on hand so that if you can’t think of an ideal gift for a particular person you can easily fall back on one of these items and still feel good about what you got them.
5. Write down what you plan to buy
I am a planner by nature. If something is not written down, I struggle to remember it.
At Christmas, this used to be problematic. I’d have most of my Christmas shopping done but would feel like I still had so much left to do.
When I started writing down my shopping plan and checking off the boxes as they got done, I could tangibly see the progress I was making.
This approach can make the entire process much more enjoyable for those of you who live by your planners.
6. Create an idea list throughout the year that you can refer to
This tip was such a game-changer when I started doing it last year.
In your memos on your phone, keep a memo that is reserved for writing gift ideas for close friends and family.
Keep your eyes and ears open for any gift ideas that they might mention throughout the year or use it to record new hobbies, interests, likes, and dislikes, that you learn about them.
When it’s time to buy that person a gift, you will already have a few ideas to look at.
It will save you time trying to rack your brain for ideas on the spot and you will feel more confident that your gift is a good one!
7. Create a tiered list of friends and family
Okay, I know this sounds weird because I’m basically telling you to rank the people you know but it really does help.
There are some people that you will genuinely want to take time to find that perfect gift for while there are other people that you just want to grab something quick as a gift.
But if you don’t have those ideas organized, you might end up feeling worried that you’re forgetting someone. You might also end up putting in too much effort for a person you barely know.
Creating a three-tiered list will enable you to put an appropriate amount of effort into each gift.
Here is an outline of how to categorize each tier:
Tier #1: Closest friends and family
This tier is for the people you want to find the perfect gift for.
They are your closest loved ones and you know them well enough that you feel comfortable finding more personal gifts. The people in this tier should be the ones you’re most excited to give gifts to.
Tier #2: Friends and family that aren’t as involved in your life
This tier is for the people in your life that you want to spoil but don’t know enough about them to get them anything personal.
For this tier, it is best not to worry too much about whether or not you found the perfect gift.
Tier #3: Acquaintances and obligatory gifts
This tier is for people who you see often and want to show appreciation towards but you might not know anything about them.
It might also be for people to who you are only giving a gift because you don’t want them to feel left out or something (perhaps a close friend’s significant other or a person from your friend group with whom you’re not actually that close).
For this tier, you have a few options:
- Don’t give any gifts at all
- Give the exact same gift to each person (something generic)
- Give a gift card
- Make a treat in bulk and give a piece of it to each of them
The main idea is that you don’t put any stress into worrying about whether or not it’s a good gift.
You are trying to show them your appreciation but you don’t need to go above and beyond for this group.
8. Consider giving handmade gifts
If you’re not the crafty type, I wouldn’t recommend this tip to you as it would be sure to stress you out more than anything.
However, if you are someone who has a crafty hobby you really enjoy, then handmade gifts are a great alternative to more commercial styles of gift-giving.
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9. Gift words, photos, or a service
Another great way to simplify gift-giving this year is to offer something that is more personal.
Some of these things may take more time but will cost less money. Other items might not take as much time but will cost some money.
Here are some examples:
- Handwritten letters of appreciation
- Compilations of recipes you find online
- Printed photos in a scrapbook or a nice frame
- A service that finishes a job around the house that they have been wanting to get done
10. Go on a trip instead
Some families that I knew growing up would forego gifts entirely and use the money they saved for a nice family vacation.
The kids of those families were never upset that they didn’t get objects for Christmas. They were too busy being excited about their upcoming trip!
This might be a good option for you if you don’t want to deal with any of the gift-giving stressors this year.
11. Do a Secret-Santa instead of buying gifts for everyone
In big families, I’ve often seen this as a good solution to simplify gift-giving over the holidays.
Instead of everyone buying gifts for everyone, each person would get assigned just one person to give a gift to.
Every person would get one thoughtful gift and give one thoughtful gift and no one had to feel overwhelmed by the number of people they would have to buy gifts for.
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12. Buy your gifts early
For a lot of people, the biggest stressor is not the gift itself but the last-minute nature of Christmas shopping.
If this is you, it is possible to simplify gift-giving by establishing an earlier time frame to finish your Christmas shopping.
Personally, I like to use November as my shopping season.
If you have all of your gifts bought or ordered by the end of November, there is very little stress in December when the time flies by and you’re still waiting for an Amazon order to arrive at your door.
If you still enjoy some of the warmth of people out doing their Christmas shopping in December, you could do the majority of your shopping in November and save some little things to buy in December.
That way you are able to enjoy the Christmas spirit without feeling rushed or pressured to buy anything.
13. Shop online
Online shopping has been a real game-changer for people who typically get stressed by holiday shopping. It’s easier to find exactly what you want in less time and the gifts come right to your door!
If going into stores for Christmas shopping stresses you out, choosing to do all of your shopping online could be a good solution for you.
On a slightly separate note, shopping online can also be an easy way to support small businesses if you head to Etsy for some of your gifts this year.
14. Set a short time frame to get your holiday shopping done and stick to it
One of the best things I did for myself this year was to save all of my Christmas shopping for one weekend.
On the first day, I went online and got ideas and products I was ready to buy. The next day, I physically visited stores to get the remainder of the gifts.
By setting such a small time frame for buying gifts, it meant that I wasn’t constantly thinking about what to buy people during the weeks before Christmas.
If I couldn’t think of anything good, I had to lower my standards and settle for something a little less unique, and there’s nothing wrong with that!
If you are someone who stresses out at Christmas because you never feel like you’re done with your shopping list, this is a great solution for you!
15. Ship directly to the recipient instead of delivering the gift yourself
If you order items online, you can make things a lot easier by sending the gifts directly to the recipient upon purchasing the item.
Though it may not be as personal, it does simplify gift-giving quite a bit!
16. Wrap gifts gradually or not at all
Gifts on their own have the potential to add stress to your holidays but if you have to meticulously wrap each one on top of that, it can be incredibly difficult.
Personally, I love gift-wrapping when I am not in a hurry but I find it incredibly stressful when it feels like a last-minute endeavour.
For those of you who are like me, I would recommend you make a nice little cozy routine out of your gift-wrapping experience.
A week or two before Christmas, turn on a nice Christmas movie and wrap gifts while you watch it.
You can also have smaller gift wrapping sessions if doing it all at once feels stressful to you.
And if you are someone who really hates wrapping gifts, then just get Christmas bags to put the gifts in. It doesn’t have to be a big hassle if you don’t want it to be.
17. Make changes to your holiday traditions and routines gradually
One last thing to keep in mind as you simplify your gift-giving traditions is that you don’t have to do it all at once and stick with it forever.
Maybe some years require a different approach. And beyond that, you won’t be able to find the perfect fit for you and your family if you drastically change everything and expect it to feel good.
Make changes slowly and you will start to learn what feels best.
If you are someone who usually gets 15 gifts for your spouse and children, then switching to 7 right off the bat might feel a little too drastic.
Think about going down to 12 gifts one year, then 9 the next, until you’ve arrived at the ideal.
Don’t feel pressured to commit to anything.
Give yourself the flexibility to try new things out and see how they go for you.
3 Things to keep in mind as you simplify gift-giving
1. You don’t need to go all or nothing
I’ve seen this happen in the minimalism community a lot, where people feel like they need to get rid of absolutely everything in order to call themselves minimalists.
But then they realize that they hate living with nothing and abandon the minimalist lifestyle to go back to their original lifestyle.
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
You can get rid of some things without having to get rid of all things. It’s the mindset that matters, not how many physical items you actually own.
The same could be said for simplifying gift-giving.
Just because you want to simplify doesn’t mean you want to toss every tradition you’ve ever done in the past.
It just means you want to readjust a little to find the tradition that makes you happiest.
So if you commit to simplifying, don’t feel like you have to play the Grinch and remove every last Christmas item from your home. Take it slow and remove things that no longer make you happy but don’t aim to be the paragon of simplicity.
2. Remember that some people really want to show their love with gifts
You will run into some occasions where you may not particularly care to receive a gift but someone you know wants to give one to you.
Everyone has different ways of showing love and, for some people, gift-giving is how they prefer to express their appreciation for you.
In these cases, you can choose to say you would rather not receive a gift but I personally prefer to accept gifts from people who feel this way.
It gives them the opportunity to express their love in the way that is most comfortable to them and that is a thing worth considering.
One good option is to ask for specific things so that they are not giving you a gift that you will likely get rid of within the year.
3. Setting clear boundaries is better for everyone
By setting clear boundaries on what you would like to give and receive for the holidays, everyone wins.
The expectations are clear and there is no guesswork or confusion over what to do when it comes to gift-giving.
Clearly laying down some ground rules and making your desires clear to everyone is the best way to simplify gift-giving and enjoy the holidays a little more.
What is a simple gift to give?
If you like the idea of simplifying gift-giving this year but are at a loss for what to buy friends and family, I’ve got a great post for you to check out! It’s is a list of ideas for things that you can buy someone who is interested in making their gift-giving more minimalist in scope.
How do you simplify Christmas Day?
If you liked this post on how to simplify gift-giving and want more tips on how to simplify your entire holiday, then my post on how to simplify the holiday season is a great one to check out next!
I hope that some of these tips are useful to you and that you are able to find your own perfect balance of gift-giving this year!
Do you have any tips or tricks on how to simplify gift-giving this year?
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