I can’t believe the holidays are here and the year is almost over. Christmas is right around the corner! Have you started figuring out gift ideas for your loved ones? Maybe you are way ahead of the game and already purchased all of your gifts on Black Friday. If so, good for you! Having grown up 45-60 minutes away from town, Black Friday shopping was not a thing my family did. Instead of shopping in the stores, we like the cyber Monday deals. Not only for the discounts, but also because we can stay home in our Pj’s and sip our hot cocoa.
My husbands birthday is at the beginning of December so not only do I have Christmas shopping to do, but I have birthday shopping too! Sometimes I struggle with gift ideas for him so I have been doing a bunch of research and thinking of meaningful gifts to give. I also sometimes struggle thinking of gift ideas for our parents and siblings. I love serving people, so my idea of a good gift often revolves around spending time with them, helping them with a project, or making them a meaningful DIY gift.
Luckily, I am trying to get ahead of the game this year by planning and researching before December rolls around…. even if it’s just a couple days early. Progress is progress, am I right?!
*This post contains affiliate links. As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Tip for gift giving
Think of your favorite gift and replicate it for someone else. This is something that has helped me come up with ideas for gifts. It also makes it easy to share a personal story about the item you give.
For example, one of my favorite wedding gifts was our plug-in candle. We call it the “smell good thingy” because it helps the house smell so good! So as a gift for someone else’s wedding, we got them a plug in candle. I was also able to write them a note sharing why we loved it so much and that our favorite scents are fresh orchard apples (especially for the holidays), melon kiwi, and watermelon buttercream.
So, what is one of your favorite gifts?
If you can’t think of anything and still need help with ideas, here is a list!
10 gifts ideas that aren’t gift cards
1.) Plug-in candle warmer. Like I said, this is one of my favorite gifts to give because I love using it and some of our favorite scents are fresh orchard apples (especially for the holidays), melon kiwi, and watermelon buttercream.
2.) Air fryer & Instant pot. These kitchen items are all the rave these days! I just got an Instant pot and will admit that I am so stoked to use it. We already used it to help cook our Thanksgiving dinner!
3.) Date night bucket. I often make my own basket with a collection some of my favorite treats and a movie, but amazon sells their own bundles. Their bundles are especially awesome if you don’t live close to the person you are gifting too AND if you are an amazon prime member because this means free shipping!
P.S. I found this awesome anniversary gift idea on amazon that would also make a great Christmas gift for any couple. The Couples Bucket List!
4.) If you don’t have amazon prime, I highly suggest looking into it. For us, the annual fee is so minimal compared to shipping costs that add up in the long run! You can also gift amazon prime to someone else! I bet they will thank you for it!
5.) Legos. Great for kids … and adults! I know my husband loves legos and most kids love legos too. There are so many fun kits our there for all ages. I found these cool temple legos that I might get our parents someday!
6.) Movies. I think it is safe to say that everyone loves a good movie. Here are some classics and new ones that our family loves!
For her: The Age of Adaline, You’ve Got Mail, She’s the Man
For him: The Upside, The Princess Bride, Ant Man and the Wasp, James Bond’s: Casino Royale, Avengers Endgame
Family feel good movie list: The Ultimate Gift, Here Comes the Boom, How to Train you Dragon, Wonder
7.) Beard kit for him | Spa kit for her | play kitchen set for the kids
8.) Books.
My husband and I picked up on an Icelandic tradition titled, “Jolabokaflod” which translates to “Christmas book flood”. On Christmas Eve, family members exchange books and they spend the day/evening reading. Not only is this a great tradition to help improve reading skills, but it is a great family activity. Spending time with one another reading and relaxing is a great activity to do with every age.
(Yes it will be tricky with younger and energetic kids, but I am sure it will entertain them for at least a little bit and maybe it could even help them learn to love reading in the long run!)
For him: Endure by Alex Hutchinson or the Harry Potter collection
For her: Home Body by Joanna Gaines or Girl Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis
9.) Personalized items. Shutterfly is an awesome company that allows for so many creative ideas. Give gifts like a photo book, magnets, coasters, a calendar, or even a mug! Vistaprint is also a great company that has a ton of creative photo options.
10.) Electronics are always a big hit, especially for the younger generations. You could get a drone, wireless headphones, polaroid Camera, watch, piano keyboard, speaker … the list goes on!
BONUS: Take some time to craft and make a gift for them. I have an ETSY shop where I sell string art (and other things) because I love sharing my talents. A couple of my favorites to gifts for Christmas are this Nativity scene and this Fabric Alphabet set.
**Look out for small businesses and support them this Christmas season. Helping small businesses helps more than you know! Everything I make goes towards help paying rent, and we can use all the help and every penny we get … literally! Our customers make all the difference.
A way to Serve
Something that is often forgotten during the holidays is the SERVING. One of the coolest ways to serve is LIGHT THE WORLD vending machines. When we went to Salt Lake City a couple years ago, we were able to serve using these vending machines and it is honestly such a cool experience. You can purchase animals , food, glasses, medicine and so much more! They now have a couple new locations so the opportunity to serve in this way is so much easier! Be sure to see if there is a Light the World vending machine near you.
Do you have a favorite holiday tradition or maybe a favorite way to serve?
~Architect Students Wife
