It’s officially the holiday season and that means that we are all trying to figure out what to buy for our loved ones. When I am considering what to buy for someone I tend to think about four things:

  1. What does the person I am buying for like, need and/or want?
  2. What is my budget for the gift(s)?
  3. How can I support a good brand or small business while also giving this person something that they may want?
  4. Can I avoid giving the person just another thing and replace that with something unique or with an experience?

Maybe your thoughts are different when you are preparing to buy something for someone, but if you are like me, you like to support good, ethical and sustainable initiatives all year round, but especially during the holidays. And I always like to consider how much waste I am creating with my gift.

So, I compiled a list of businesses to support and other memorable presents to consider giving to your loved ones this holiday season.

Many of the businesses that I am going to list are owned by friends of mine and although I can’t monetarily support all of them, I can use my blog platform to share their amazing work and encourage you to support them.


Artisans

Check-out local artisans or consult with Etsy to buy unique gifts for the people you love. Or if you know of an artisan that your friend loves, consider giving them a gift certificate from that artisan.

Some of my favorite artisans:

Baked Goods

Come on. Who doesn’t like baked goods for the holidays? It is even more special, in my opinion, if you go out of your way to make someone’s favorite thing or make something for someone with a food allergy, sensitivity or dietary choice or restriction.

Two of my go-to recipes for gifting:

Books

I will never not recommend giving someone a book any chance you get. When you give someone a book, I feel like you have put so much thought into what they might like or what they might need to read at the moment that it means so much more.

Suggestions:

Creator Merch

Does your loved one have a favorite YouTuber or influencer? Now is the time to buy them some merch! By doing this, you are giving your loved one something they will love and you are supporting a creator.

Some of my favorite creators:

Photographers/Videographers

Book a photographer or videographer for a loved ones’ special event or get them a gift certificate for a private session! Get the whole family involved and take professional photos to share and have for years to come or book a solo photoshoot for the fashionista in your life to share on their Instagram.

A few years ago, my brother, husband, myself and our dogs surprised my mom with a professional photo of us printed on canvas.

Some of my favorite photographers:

Subscriptions

Why not give your family and friends gifts that keep giving all year round? Subscription services are a fantastic and fun way to invite your loved ones to try something new. You can also take the opportunity to subscribe to your loved ones’ favorite creator’s patreon for them!

Suggestions:

  • Book of the Month Club – Get a new book delivered to your door every month!
  • Calm App – “A premium subscription gets you Sleep Stories, guided meditations, soothing sounds and more.” I personally subscribe to the Calm app and can’t recommend it more for folks new to meditating or for someone like me who wants to meditate more often.
  • Hunt a Killer: Murder Mystery Games – “Sort through evidence, piece together clues, and catch the killer in this gripping murder mystery game. It’s like an escape room delivered to your door.”
  • Lovely Devi Yoga – Virtual guided yoga and meditation classes

Tickets

I am famous for saying that I want to fill my life with experiences, not things, so I want to encourage you to keep that in mind during the holiday season and maybe consider giving someone tickets to something. It’s an opportunity to do something fun together as well!

Every year (before the pandemic), I got Logan tickets to see our favorite band, The Devil Makes Three for Christmas. It became a fun tradition that we would go see them in January every year.

Buy tickets to a(n):

  • Art Exhibit
  • Comedy show
  • Concert
  • Festival
  • Ice Skating Rink
  • Movie
  • Museum
  • Musical/Play
  • Spa
  • Trip/Vacation

The last few years have been tough and the world still hasn’t seemed to go back to “normal”…whatever that means. So, try to remember that being together is the best, most meaningful gift of all.

Happy Holidays, y’all!