52 Lists Project Week 10: Alternatives to Traditional Christmas Gifts

Let me first go on record and say that I love gifts, particularly ones I get to make and give to people I care about. But honestly, more often than not, I feel that we go overboard during the holidays. No one needs that much stuff. This year, my husband Bradley and I agreed that we would forgo traditional gifts except for a few things for each other's stockings. Instead, we spent the money we would have spent on each other's gifts on tickets to see Wicked in January and a hotel room to stay the night in. I have to say, I'm looking forward to that trip more than I would any gift I could possible open. That got me to thinking, what could we do for each other, friends and family instead of traditional gifts that would give just as much if not more joy? Here is what I came up with.

1. Invest in seeds and soil to start a garden in the spring. Talk about a gift that keeps giving. 
2. The ingredients and supplies to make a completely fabulous gourmet meal. 
3. The supplies for a home improvement project. 
4. Invest in taking a class, either together, or for them to try on their own. 

   

   I'm a huge fan of riding lessons. Photo from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mixedupmedia/galleries/72157622710980126/

5. Buy books to give to a local children's hospital or nursing home. 
6. The materials to put together a special scrapbook.
7. A yearlong gift of one home cooked meal a month. 
8. A season pass somewhere they will love. 
9. Adopt an endangered animal. (One disclaimer, I strongly suggest with this type of gift, you donate anonymously. Otherwise you will feel like they send you whatever you donated back in promo materials.)
10. Pay for tickets to a play.
11. Give a year's worth of date nights. However, I advise buying as much as possible in advance because otherwise it seems that these things can fall by the wayside. So, if you want to see a play in June, buy tickets or at the very least a gift card to the theatre so you're more likely to follow through.
    

    

    Photo from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/65774439@N07/8620232102/. 

12. Have a favorite photo blown up and framed. 
13. Offer to babysit, petsit or clean for a friend. 
14. Give the last book you read that you loved and write a special note in the front. 
15. Make a personalized gift basket for a struggle they may be having. (Ex: Give a "Basket of Sunshine" including all things yellow for someone going through a rough patch.)

    

    Photo from: http://welovebeingmoms.blogspot.com/2013/02/basket-of-sunshine.html?m=0. 

16. Make a coupon book of services they might enjoy. 
17. Write a series of letters and write on the envelopes "Open when you need… (a laugh, to not feel alone, to know someone loves you.)
18. Treat them to a day of pampering at a spa or salon. 

    

    Photo from: https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1005839_570935959651999_1889568006_n.jpg.

19. Give them a bag of their "favorite things" that you know they use regularly. 
20. Buy them a week's worth of groceries. This one is especially helpful for newlyweds, college students or new moms. 
21. If you're crafty, offer to let them pick something they'd like you to make for them. 
22. Buy a gift card to their favorite movie theatre. 

    

    Photo from: http://www.examiner.com/article/tom-sturridge-s-new-film-waiting-for-forever-to-be-featured-at-nashville-film-festival-april. 

23. Write a blog post about how awesome they are. I wouldn't have suggested this before this week, but I did it for my sister, and was amazed by how much excitement it gave her. 
24. Create a scavenger hunt for them and meet them at the end with one of their favorite things, whatever that may be. 
25. Create a cookies in a jar recipe for them. 

    

    Photo from: http://www.culdesaccool.com/2012/11/14/5-diy-holiday-baked-gifts-in-a-jar-with-free-printable-recipe-tags/. 

26. For a young child, consider buying them a savings bond. They may not be that excited now, but I owe a big thank you to a few of my aunts and uncles who got them for me as a kid. We recently cashed them in as part of getting our "debt snowball" rolling. 
27. Go paint piggy banks at a ceramics studio and use them to save for something you both want. 
28. Create a cupcake decorating kit and put it in a cool vintage lunchbox. 
29. Make a memory jar for them to put happy moments in throughout the year, then read them the following Christmas or New Years. 
30. Take old t-shirts or baby clothes and make them into a memory quilt. 

    

    I made this one. You can order them from my Etsy page: etsy.com/krushedandkreated. 

31. Have something repaired for them they've been putting off due to expense. 
32. Help someone travel to see a loved one they don't often get to see.
33. Ask what they need most and pay for it or a portion of it. I did this for my sister-in-law after her baby shower and was able to help her get stuff she still didn't have.
34. Give an experiences jar of things you can do together over the next year. The best way to do this one is to make sure all the activities are smaller and inexpensive, but still fun and memorable. 
35. Buy supplies for the local homeless or animal shelter.

    

    Photo from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/manymuddypaws/3235939987/. 

36. A year long subscription to their favorite magazine. 
37. A gift certificate for bowling or mini golf. 
38. Pay to renew their fishing or hunting license. 
39. Sponsor a child in another country. (See disclaimer on number 9)
40. Buy a tree or two to plant. 
41. Donate a flock of chickens through Heifer International (See disclaimer on number 9. )
42. Dedicate a day spending time with someone you love committing random acts of kindness for others. 
43. Go on a wine tasting. 
44. Consider a membership to a wine, cheese, fruit, coffee or chocolate of the month club. 

    

    Photo from: http://www.adventures-in-cooking.com/2014/01/melted-hot-chocolate-with-sea-salt.html. 

45. If you have a time share, give a few days of it to friends. 
46. iTunes or Amazon Kindle gift cards. 
47. Teach someone to do something you're good at. 
48. Host a potluck dinner as a gift for a group of friends. 
49. If you're great at organizing, help clean something out for someone. 
50. Take something off their hands. Run to the dump for them, take a trucked to Goodwill, or help them arrange to have an old car hauled away. 
51. Pay for a family photo session. 

    

    Maternity shots for an expectant couple would make a fabulous gift. Photo from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/65774439@N07/8620232102/. 

52. Give their car a spruce, including oil change, vacuuming, gas, etc. 

What nontraditional gifts would you like to receive? Is there a favorite nontraditional gift you've gotten and would like to share?