Can we really believe Christmas is almost upon us? It feels like this year has truly rushed by…yet don’t we all say that year after year?! For many of us, we and our loved ones tumble into this time of year exhausted and stressed and very much in need of a summer holiday. So I thought it might be nice to focus on what we can do to help those around us head into Christmas and beyond with the gift of wellness. After all, it truly is the gift that keeps on giving! No one needs yet another non-really-needed gift that will eventually end in landfills. Below are some Christmas gift ideas that don’t cost the earth, don’t necessarily cost a cent, and can often bring joy and a sense of well-being to both the giver and receiver.
- Gift your time: Gifting someone some of your time and energy can be really beneficial and rewarding for you both. It doesn’t need to cost a cent, yet your time can be truly valuable to people in your life. Maybe you gift your sister an afternoon off on a Saturday, mind the kids and give her the space to go for a long solo walk (bliss!) or time to meet her friends for a coffee. Filling someone’s cup doesn’t have to take away from your own!
- Gift a Wellness Session: Find some people in your life who seemingly “have it all” hard to buy for? No matter how good things look on the outside, usually, people are experiencing some hardship or another behind closed doors. Maybe it is a physical health struggle, perhaps it s a mental health struggle, and perhaps times in their relationship are tough. A wellness session gift (ie. a Naturopath session, life coach session, pilates pass) can go down a treat for those who don’t often carve out time for themselves. They might be crushing it professionally or seemingly socially, but perhaps R&R is just what is needed to truly “have it all”.
- Gift a Date with You: Spending quality time with loved ones can boost the immune system, elevate feel-good hormones and encourage healthy behaviors like getting out in the sunshine, being social, and taking time to do what makes you feel good. Problem is, in our busy lives, spending time with extended family and friends can sometimes take low priority on our To-Do lists. Make up a cute voucher, share your itinerary or keep it a surprise, and make a day of it! It doesn’t have to be expensive…the surprise element of a mystery day (beach, picnic, bushwalk) is valuable in itself.
- Do The Research For Them: Spend some time researching podcasts, books or apps that you think may be of interest or benefit to someone in your life. You could create a bespoke list of recommendations for them with little summaries on each, or you could purchase some of them for a kindle or the like. Tune into what their passions are, or what they are interested in in the health realm to see if you can help them on their wellness journey, wherever that may be taking them.
- Healing Crystal Goodness: Gifting crystals/gemstones, big or small, can be a really considered and meaningful gift. Crystals are believed to hold energy and meaning, and each crystal can be gifted for a different purpose. For example, for someone going through a breakup or hard time, rose quartz is considered to be a healing crystal and the crystal of unconditional love. It is thought to support emotional and relationship healing and help to boost feelings of calm. Or perhaps someone in your life has been unwell and could do with some additional healing support. You may like to consider crystal quartz or amethyst. Even if the receiver does not believe in the power of these stones, they are generally beautiful to look at, and when looking at them in the future, they will be sure to be reminded of your good intentions! That is itself is powerfully beneficial!
- Essential Oils: You may be spotting a theme here… a lot of these gifts are about showing that you are acknowledging where the receiver is at, and what they may benefit from. The very act of doing this, generally makes people feel really good in itself…knowing someone has put the time and energy into pulling together a gift that is uniquely curated for where someone is at in their life, shows that you really care. Maybe they have mentioned throughout the year that they have had trouble sleeping (hello lavender!), or perhaps they find it really hard to concentrate (hello peppermint!), or maybe they have mentioned in passing that their bedroom fun has slipped by the wayside (hello ylang ylang). You can show that you are a good friend with good intentions by tuning into their needs and putting together a bespoke collection that shows you have been listening, and you care. Again, even if they do not believe in the potential benefits, they will no doubt enjoy the ritual and sensory experience regardless!
- Gift like a Child: Channel your (and their) inner child and gift the likes of a puzzle or adult colouring books. There are some absolutely stunning puzzles on the market right now, that would happily take pride of place on one’s coffee table for a while! The art of puzzling is the art of being present and focused on a simply satisfying outcome. Like colouring, it is the act of doing something that could otherwise be seen as “pointless” that is exactly the point…letting your mind drop away hyper-focus in areas that cause stress, tune out troubles and tune into just being focused on the simple moment.
- Supplement Subscription: Sometimes people find regularly purchasing the vitamins they know they need/make them feel better, too much of a task to add to their ongoing/growing To-Do lists throughout the year. You could consider gifting them a gift card to sign up for a regular subscription to the supplements that they need!
The list is endless for gifting gives that promote wellness. Wellness comes in all shapes and sizes, so looks different for all. Showing the ones around you that you care by tuning into either what they care about, or finding ways to assist and promote their self-care can be a great Christmas gift that will likely be remembered for years to come. Unexpected experiences, tools, accessories or subscriptions that can either help kick-start a new habit, or bring more joy and good health to their everyday…you’ll feel good knowing you’ve done good and added some goodness into the lives of loved ones!
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