Minimalist Holiday Gift Guide

The holidays are approaching this year and even if things will look a bit different this year, that doesn’t mean we can’t try to make the best of things. Virtual get-togethers, door-drop gift exchanges, phone calls and snail mail notes, all are great ways to let family and friends know that you love them. While some of us may be on tighter budgets this year, even things like a cute card or e-messages are simple but effective ways to show people that we care about them.

Whether you do have some money to spend or not, here are some suggestions for holiday gifts for the more minimalist people in your lives. Or even friends who are not!

Experience Gifts

These are my favorite kinds of gifts. I would much rather make memories with people and save a bunch of photos than have a physical item that may get lost or broken. Travel, movie and dinner dates, checking something off your bucketlist, and other personalized ideas are great gifts. Write a cute little card or make up some “tickets” for these events to give for the actual holiday exchange and then set a time to do it once they’ve opened their present. One fun memory I have is going thrift shopping with a friend and at the end buying an item or two for each other so that we both go home with what we want and had the fun experience of shopping and laughing together at the store. Another great memory is when my aunt took me on a trip to New York City with her my freshman year of college. We had a wonderful time exploring the city, visiting museums, eating out at restuarnts, seeing a broadway play, and almost getting hit by the double-decker busses. What a blast.

Subscription Services

If you have someone who loves to learn, watch, read, or listen, subscriptions to different media sites may be the way to go. For movies, check out streaming sites like Netflix, Hulu, or Disney plus. For the musician in your life, check out music subscriptions like Spotify or Apple Music. For those always on top of the news, try online newspapers like the New York Times or BBC. For the book dragons, think about kindle or other online book subscriptions.

Gifts that will grow with you

Plants! Okay, I may be biased as a botany major, but in my opinion there this never too many plants. From exotics like the mini fig plant pictured above to your classic succulents or philadendorn, plants are great options. Base your decision off of the recipients skill level, living situation, and aesthetic preferences. Bright light, bad plant skills, small space? Try a barrel cactus! More space, lower light, tends to overwater? Snake plants can handle a lot! If you’re not into plants (*gasp*) dare I say a dog or cat? If you’re not in the situation to get a pet yourself, sponsor a shelter dog or buy farm animals for those who need them. Check out Heifer International for world-wide donations. Other items that will last years like good outdoor gear, pocketknives, hiking packs, etc are always welcome.

Edible Goodies

If you have time to bake some goodies this is always fun during the holidays! Cookie exchanges are also really fun. Invite a bunch of people to make their family’s best holiday cookies and host a social-distance exchange to try out all the goods! Other fun ideas are recipe kits like scone or brownie mix, fun drinks like a wine sampler, or different starter kits like kombucha or sour-kraut making kits. Dinner dates at home with a full meal, drinks, and dessert are great for loved ones or housemates. If you can’t be in person, try getting gift cards to your favorite restaurant or cafe for either takeout or to go to later which also helps local businesses!

Miscellaneous

I’m sure you can think of some fun things that you know your friend wants but probably would never get for themselves. If you’re looking for cards or other fun forms of art check out my etsy or message me on social media to check out some great options!

Happy holidays y’all.