Good day, Purposeful Hearts! I’m here to make your life easier this Christmas. You’re stressed. You’re behind on your shopping. Your brainstorming capabilities are shot, and you’re plum out of ideas for that perfect gift. Do not fear! I will solve your dilemma in three easy steps.
1. Forget the stuff.
2. Conduct a personality inventory.
3. Get Canva-smart.
First of all, do the people in your life really need more “things” to make them happy this season? I’m not talking about daily staples like basic clothing and self-care items (sometimes I give those as gifts at Christmas, but it’s totally cheating. Who really views a new pack of sports socks as a great gift?). While a tangible gift might elicit a “wow” in the moment, these gifts are too easily forgotten. In general, the long-term value for your money isn’t very high. We can do better!
Well, if we’re not purchasing tangible goods, where are we to turn? How do I know what to give to the important people in my life? It starts with paying close attention to patterns, personalities, and preferences. That’s right, it’s time to be a detective in your own social circle and conduct a personality inventory on the people you love. If you’ve heard of the 5 Love Languages from Gary Chapman, we’re looking to address the other four besides “Gifts.” Have you realized that Christmas and birthdays are totally oriented toward this single Love Language? It’s time we thought about how to “gift” for people in their language of Quality Time, Acts of Service, Words of Affirmation, and Physical Touch. What I’m suggesting here actually allows you to access all five if you play your cards right!
If conducting an inventory sounds daunting, do it anyway. You (and they) will thank me later. First, look at their patterns. How do they spend their time in a typical week? What are their pain points as they work, learn, play, and socialize? These are your first clues. Next, how would you describe the personality of the person you’re creating a gift for? Free-spirited and adventurous? Reflective and intellectual? Jet setter or homebody? Consider your answers to these questions (and more that you identify); they’re the second layer of clues. Finally, how many of this person’s preferences can you remember? Preferences include specific taste in music, favorite restaurant, bucket list items, goal travel destinations, favorite colors, and sense of style. As I mentioned earlier, do not skip this inventory; let yourself relax into the process and create a clear mental picture of who this person is to you.
Now, it’s time to synthesize your inventory results and create an EXPERIENCE-BASED gift for your loved one. Your goal is to create an individualized night out (or more if you can swing it!) that shows you’ve been paying keen attention to their lives, likes, and loves. I’m talking about afternoon coffee at a favorite local shop, dinner at a favorite restaurant, followed by surprise concert tickets. I’m talking about a road trip to some small town they’ve always wanted to visit, with the car pre-packed with favorite snacks and a Spotify playlist with their favorite songs on it. I’m talking about a restaurant crawl, with an appetizer at one spot, entrée at another, and dessert at yet another. And, for each of these options, you’ve booked the babysitter, you’ve researched parking spots, you’ve made the reservations, and you’ve allowed the person ample time to clear the schedule and dress for the occasion.
Your last step! Use Canva (or your favorite design software) to create an invitation or gift certificate to this personalized event that you planned. The invitation itself is another opportunity to individualize your work; use their favorite colors and design aesthetics. You can do it!
Let’s move past the stuff this season. With a little extra thought and care, you can speak multiple love languages at once and really make your loved ones feel seen. So, Purposeful Hearts, happy gifting this season!
Comments