Often the best gifts are the small, simple gifts with personal meaning.
This post is sponsored by Minted.com.
You know those people who are great at selecting just the perfect gift? Yeah, that’s not me. I agonize over choosing the right gifts.
A big part of the challenge for me is that I so badly want to be sure the gift I give will be loved, used, and appreciated. The last thing in the world I want to give is something that will just end up being clutter. Because I really hate clutter.
But gift giving really is about the person receiving the gift. Not about the giver. My exasperation over clutter doesn’t really matter. What really matters is that the person receiving the gift feels loved. And what better way to make a person feel loved than to take interest in their story.
Simple Gifts with Meaning
Support a Cause
Contributing to a cause that is close to someone’s heart is such a thoughtful gift with huge meaning. It shows the gift recipient you care about them and the things they care about.
I have a friend who lost a baby to SIDS. She would have been almost the exact same age as my oldest daughter, and the pain is still very real for my friend. She moves forward by making SIDS awareness and safe infant sleep habits her causes, and she is always moved when someone thinks to make a contribution to one of her favorite foundations in her daughter’s name.
Be sure to check out any charity you are giving to to make sure your dollars are making the impact you intend. Two websites you can use to research before you give are guidestar.org and givewell.org.
Books & Bookish Gifts
I was a super-shy kid and when grown-ups would ask, “What do you want for Christmas?” I would often freeze up. In response to my silence, they’d sometimes say “How about a pile of books?! Haha!” or similar, clearly implying books were a bad gift and trying to get me to speak up in protest.
But books can be a fantastic and meaningful gift, even for non-readers, if selected with thought and care.
The key is to know what truly interests the person who will receive the book and understand how that person learns. Some people learn through stories, others devour cold hard facts, and others learn through visuals (not all books require tons of reading!).
If you’re not sure what exact books to buy for someone, you could sign them up for a fun and unique book subscription box.
Here are some more bookish gift ideas.
candle | library card coasters | coffee mug | socks
coffee mug | page holder | t-shirt | pillow
Related: 100 More Gift Ideas for Book Lovers!
These are a few of the books my husband and I have given each other as gifts over the years.
Meaningful Jewelry
I love the idea of jewelry that has deep meaning, like wedding rings. I’d been dreaming of a piece “mom jewelry” since we got pregnant with my second baby. Finally, after our third and last baby was born, my husband got me a necklace with their birthstones for Christmas and it’s one of my most favorite gifts ever.
Mom jewelry isn’t the only kind of jewelry with meaning though. Meaningful jewelry can feature an important symbol, a date, even a map or reminder of a special place.
Map Necklace | Initial Necklace | Soul Sister Bracelet | Astrological Sign Pendent
Nurse Bracelet | Warrior Bracelet | Family Initial Necklace | Turquoise Bar Necklace
Handwriting Bracelet | Morse Code Necklace | Mama Necklace | Soul Mate Bracelet
Lotus Necklace | Anchor Necklace | Brave Bracelet | Greek Letters Necklace
Subscription Boxes
Subscription boxes aren’t just for fashion and beauty products anymore. There are SO MANY subscription box options for people of all ages that you’re sure to find *just the right fit* for your loved one.
Succulent Lovers | Escape the Crate | Jerky Snob | Hiker Crate
Fizzy Fairy Apothecary | Hygge Box | Records Club | Scrapbooking Store
Goddess Provisions | Mermaid Vibes | World of Wizardry | Reading Bug Box
Mystery Adventure Club | Sockbox | SpiceBreeze | Therabox Self-Care
My husband loved his Vintage Pub Shirts and I’ve had my eye on the Queen B’s Box!
Related: 12 Subscription Boxes for Women We Can’t Stop Talking About!
Fine Art Prints
Giving art as a gift can be tough because you might not know exactly what type of art the person enjoys. That’s why I love the idea of fine art that tells a personal story.
These simple, yet beautiful, foil-stamped zodiac constellation prints from Minted.com caught my eye months ago. Their subtlety lends itself well to a wide range of decor style, so they are really fantastic for gift giving. (I gave them to myself, one for each of my kids’ astrological signs. 😉 )
Minted.com also offers custom silhouette prints, gorgeous maps, birthstone prints, custom house portraits, and vows, among so many others.
What are your favorite types of gifts to give? What gifts have the most personal meaning to you?
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Tyler Johnson says
That’s a good idea to get some art to give to someone. I could see how most people would appreciate having some more art to have around the house, as long as it is a cool picture. I should consider getting something like that as a gift for a friend’s birthday since I have been having trouble getting a good gift.