7 Step System for Picking Christmas Gift Ideas!

OK, I am soooooo stinking excited to share with you guys some of my absolute favorite ideas for getting inspired for gift giving around Christmas (or really any time of year).

I LOVE Christmas and that is no secret, ok? But what I do NOT like is giving gifts just for the sake of giving, and in fact, I just can’t do it…not even for birthdays.  

I want my gift to someone to mean something to the recipient  I want him/her to feel seen, noticed, and special.  I want him/her to know that they matter.  I want it to be a simple gift that can actually edify their life and have practical uses.

Mostly, I don’t want to fill their lives with that ONE MORE THING.  

Please notice, what I didn’t say is I love picking out the perfect gift that will be talked about amongst all their family or co-workers or peers for days to come.  Gifts aren’t about that.  

I truly believe that more often than not, the simplest of gifts that shows you are paying attention to the person, are what means the most.

Is a beautiful pair of earrings that you bought for a friend who is your coworker in the office a great gift? Well, it can be.  But, what if she doesn’t wear earrings, but you never took the time to notice?  What if she is an avid coffee drinker, but recently her coffee maker bit the dust.  Would a more loving gift be a Starbucks gift card in a mug surprising her on her desk?  She would most likely feel very noticed and special and heard.  It is a great blessing to have that sense of belonging. 

Time seems so short and fleeting these days as people tend to pay more attention to their phones, or devices than they do to the actual physical person right next to them.  It is good to get invested in each other’s lives. You will be paid back richly more than you can imagine!

Also, I want to convey something to you that I firmly believe.  If picked out correctly and according to the recipient, gift cards or cash is absolutely an appropriate and thoughtful gift.  It shows that you know they don’t need another thing in their life.  It conveys that you pay attention to that person and their habits/likes.  It also gives them a very practical and consumable way to help the ebb and flow of their everyday life.

Depending on the person, the nature of your relationship and your budget, there are many other things that can be great gift ideas!  We will get to those in our Christmas Gift Idea List (insert link here)!

So, here is my system for hopefully picking a great gift: 

 1.   Pay attention to the person! Honestly, for myself, its all about paying attention to the person (the recipient that is).  

Is this a very simple person that lives alone and doesn’t want things to change or appreciate handmade gifts?  Maybe you happen to know this person has a Starbucks habit?  Well, then an inspired idea for that person may be a great Starbucks mug filled with a gift card or two, with a card thanking this person for his/her friendship.

Is it a super busy working mom with kids in lots of activities and she desperately needs some downtime and enjoys being pampered?  In this case, maybe a spa gift card or massage or a pedicure gift card to the local salon would be a thoughtful gift, with a note saying how you admire how hard she works and to enjoy her downtime.

Is it a dear friend that you know LOVES natural, back to basics living?  Maybe she loathes bugs, but lives in the deep south where they are all around? Maybe a great choice would be a DIY homemade bug spray (put the link here to that recipe) that also smells so wonderful it doubles as a room spray!

So much is lost nowadays on simply not noticing each other.  If we just stop and pay attention to the person, a very simple practical, lovely gift idea can present itself.  

It doesn’t have to take a lot of time.  Just stop.  Look.  Listen.  See.  It really can be that simple.

2.  Ask yourself these questions:

What does the person’s life look like?  What are their hobbies?  

Where do they live and what would be practical for their life?  

What would bless them and not be one more thing?

What have they talked about trying lately and I could surprise them with? (think of a craft, ingredients for a recipe in a basket that they commented they enjoyed that you made, a beautiful jar to save $ in with a bit of cash in it if they have been talking about saving up for a trip)

What do they use on a regular basis but are running low on? (think diapers for a new mom, essential oils, gift card to a restaurant of choice)

What could I get or make this person (if I don’t know them very well) that is consumable, or usable, or re-giftable so it doesn’t go to waste?

3.  Set your budget.

Yes, it is totally OK that you do this 3rd on your list.  The reason why?  Well, because paying attention to people should always come first!  Also, when you follow some of the financial wisdom I share with you about using ebates (insert link here) and checking the internet for coupon codes, you can sometimes get a steal of a deal for something you couldn’t have imagined being able to afford.  It doesn’t mean you will be able to get a $300 item for $5 or anything like that, but I have scored $50 items for only $10 and deals like that in the past.  

Another reason to set your budget at this stage in the game is because sometimes you may find that you have quite a few people that would actually appreciate the same thing and you can afford to get it in mass quantities or if it’s something you are making you can afford to get all your supplies and make numerous ones for the same price it would have cost to buy the supplies to make just one or two.

4.  Set your timeframe for wrapping it up.

This is important for so many reasons.  For so many years, I would have good “intentions” of getting a birthday or other gifts to my nieces and nephews.  Sadly, because of a lack of planning and letting time get away from me (life is busy for all of us, right?), I would either get them sent months later or not at all.  This doesn’t have to be the case.  It also doesn’t mean you have to send gifts to everyone all the time.  This is not a guilt trip at all, but instead hopefully a motivational reminder to pay attention.  This time, pay attention to the details of the person’s life.  

Is it a coworker that will be out of town 2 weeks before and including Christmas?  You will need to have that gift at the top of your list as far as delivery times.  

Is it a family member or friend that lives out of town and they celebrate Christmas during Thanksgiving and you won’t be able to make it this year?  Be sure the gifts arrive accordingly.  

Also, one more factor to consider with time is YOUR OWN FAMILY TIME!  Don’t get so bogged down in getting all the details of everyone else’s schedule ok for gift giving that you end up stressed and not enjoying the holidays.  

If it works for you to have all your shopping and wrapping done and you want to give all your gifts to everyone, or anyone but family on December 1, then you do that!  Or if you want to have them all wrapped up and ready in a corner of your closet by then so you are ready for each event, that’s fine!

Keep the timing simple and do what works for you!

5.  Have a backup gift idea, or two.

This is a vital one.  We all have to be better at rolling with the flow, right?  I am pointing to myself here on this one! ha!  Anyway, what if you find out all the sudden that avid coffee drinker just had to stop coffee per doctors orders and is now heavy into crafting in order to pass the time and keep their mind off of it?  Well, if you have already bought the gift card, you can give that to someone else on your list (insert link here) and now run to Michaels (insert affiliate link here) or another local craft store and grab a gift card or a craft kit of what they are interested in.  

What if the gift you found on a great deal just sent you an email that they ran out of stock?  It’s OK. Don’t stress.  Some people really treasure homemade gifts.  Are you gifted in jewelry making and know that person adores homemade necklaces?  Well, there you go!

What if the gift you bought or ordered is broken or arrives damaged and you don’t have time to wait for the replacement?  It really is OK.  Who doesn’t always love an Amazon gift card (insert link here) where they can purchase just about most anything they need or would like.  

Keep your options open and stay relaxed and it will all work out.

6.  Don’t forget the card!

This really is so important.  This, again, is all about letting that person know they matter to you.  It really doesn’t have to be anything extravagant or fancy or even a long message.  

Keeping it simple and meaningful here will be what conveys the love to the recipient.

To an employee, a note about how much you appreciate their hard work goes a long way.   To a friend, a quick word about how you appreciate their friendship.  To a child, praise them about a good character quality.  To see more ideas on card sentiments, you can see our Christmas gift printables! (insert link here)

7.  Make your list and check it twice!

This really is no joke!!  How many times have we been caught (or at least I have) with just one shy of gifts for co-workers or somehow left one of your kid’s gifts shoved under a bed months ago and it got forgotten about?  We have created a few printables to help keep you organized during this season and hopefully help that brain drain that can happen! 

Click here to see the list and many other printables to help you get all set for the Christmas season, even if it is late in the game!

Don’t stress about it, but have extra gift cards on hand for that moment that you may have missed someone on the list, or a last minute kid is added to your kid’s dance class or a new employee was hired and will be at the company Christmas party.  

I also think it’s important to print it out and physically hold it and mark through it and mark it up! 

Then you can always go into the editable pdf part of it and mark it up in the computer so you have it saved and can resend to yourself time and again on your phone while you are out shopping!  Have them printed out and available on your device as well!  Think of it as your Christmas brain!

Now all there is to do is relax, enjoy your gift giving, and most of all enjoy the time with the people that are a blessing in your life and let them know that.

Comment below and let us know what your system for gift giving is and how it has blessed you!