Holiday Gifting

*Disclosure: Links included in this post are amazon affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

The holidays may look different in 2020. Yet, if you plan to participate in holiday gifting in some way, shape or form, here are 4 great tips. They’ll help you maintain the spirit of giving this year, while staying organized and on top of your gifting game.

1. Dedicate a holding spot for gifts

It’s helpful to designate one spot in your home to stow gifts you’re collecting before you’re ready to give them. That way, you’ll always know where to look and you won’t forget you had something. No more surprise discoveries of gifts in random places when it’s too late!

Before wrapping – like if I buy something very early – I’ll keep it (shhhh! don’t tell the kids) in a bin on the top shelf of my closet. If unwrapped gifts are out in the open, there’s a chance someone could stumble upon them and ruin a well intended surprise.

Word of caution here: just like any other area of your home, this area can be prone to clutter. Purchasing with intentionality – with a recipient and event in mind, helps to guard against an excess accumulation of “just in case” items.

2. Wrap as you go

gift

Maybe it’s your thing to have a massive wrapping party the night before Christmas, and if that works for you, that’s awesome. I’m a fan of wrap as I go so I don’t feel behind. There’s enough to do just prior to a gifting event. I’d rather be ready with the gifts in plenty of time.

And, realistically…if you’re like me, most of your physical gifts are arriving via your favorite mail delivery service. The deliveries are gradual, so it only takes a few minutes at a time to keep up.

3. Keep it simple

One way to simplify your gifting is by following a theme. The current environment can feel isolating, so anything to encourage connection within the family unit is great – ie puzzles, games, a fun cookbook. Here are some theme ideas:

  1. Cozy – pj’s, slippers, hot chocolates or teas
  2. Games – inexpensive and fun for the whole family. These are some we enjoy, perfect for age 6 or 7+:
  3. Homemade – framed art, written pieces, crafts, sewn pieces – the sky is the limit
  4. Experiences – this is always a good one and I’m encouraged with how popular this trend is. Now, it’s a little trickier, but with some imagination, you can find ideas that don’t require travel or can be created and executed in the great outdoors or even within your home.
  5. Food – consumables are great gifts! They can be enjoyed and shared by many, and don’t contribute to the accumulation of stuff in your household.
hot chocolate

4. Use Santa’s Bag app

I blogged about this (and other ways to take stress out of the holidays) last year. Santa’s Bag is a free one stop shop app from the app store. It allows you to identify gift recipients, log gift ideas and purchases, and assign individual & overall budgets. I’m using the app again this year, and I’m even more of a fan now. My 2019 data carried over, and was such a helpful reference for me as I built my 2020 plans.

Advantages: helps with all stages of gifting – before, during, and after/prep for the following year. Also helps to ensure equity across recipients, avoiding the “Oops, I didn’t realize we got Jr. double the gifts that we got Jr.’s sister”.

There’s also additional functionality that I don’t personally use, but could be very helpful, such as incorporating wish lists.

Whatever your gifting looks like this year, it’s the perfect time to take inventory of what’s really important, to embrace how this time might look different, and who knows? Maybe you’ll come up with some great new traditions that you’ll want to repeat year after year.

Happy Holiday Gifting!