It's that time of the year, folks!
The holidays are upon us. You know, the most wonderful time of the year?
Snow falling, the classic holiday movies, hot drinks, and people being a little less rude. The holiday spirit is all around.
...And...also that twinge of nerves. What in the hell do I buy for my friends and loved ones? There are always those people who are hard to buy for. Gift cards are decent, but not creative. Electronics are already outdated by this time next year. Are you breaking out in hives by just reading this, too?
Welp, I'm here to save the day. And I'm also here to break the norm of buying something.
Instead, buy a memory for someone.
Think of the person you are buying for. What do they enjoy?
If Spotify is their most-used app
A pair of concert tickets to a band that they like
Health goals for 2019?
Buy the registration costs for a 5k/10k/half marathon
Trying to learn a new talent?
Purchase lessons! Time to learn how to play guitar, rock climb, or do some dancing
Maybe they want to travel. OR haven't traveled before.
If you want a sure-fire, knock it out of the park, memorable gift - give the gift of travel. Traveling can be a life-changing experience. It's a quick way to hit the reset button if you're in a slump. It gives you something to circle on the calendar.
If you are figuring out the costs and it adds up to be too much, then find the best-case scenario. Pay for one or two aspects of the trip: the plane tickets, or the hotel costs, the dinners, etc. If the person you are buying for knows that a couple of things on their trip are already paid for, they would gladly pay the remaining difference and have a great trip.
If you are in a relationship, there is a really really good chance that you both are uneasy thinking about gift-buying. How much to spend, what to get, being creative, getting the gift in time (I could go on forever). Stop thinking about gifts. Instead, be real and transparent with one another. Rather than buy objects, put your money, time, and effort together and combine for an unforgettable trip. This creates for a bonding experience - you can spend your time finding a fun place to visit. Traveling can get costly - as a result, a lot of us will put these trips on the back burner. But by combining your money, you can treat yourself and that special someone with something that you normally would not do. If that dream trip is costs more than expected - time to start that money jar. If you need help on money-saving tips, check out the "Get that Wandering Mindset" post.
Three years from now, the person you bought for won't remember the pair of shoes, Amazon gift card, and shirt that you bought. But they will remember you buying the hotel for their spring trip. Or the trip that you two took together.
Buy a memory this holiday season!
-MT