Simple & Consumable Gift Ideas For Meaningful Gift Giving This Season
Does anyone else feel that Christmas gift giving has lost a bit of its magic?
This upcoming time of year conjures up beautiful images of gold, frankincense, and myrrh being presented to the baby Christ Child. A comb and a watch chain, purchased by the poor young couple in O. Henry’s short story “The Gift of the Magi”. The goose that Scrooge sent to Bob Cratchit’s family on Christmas morning. Even the lovably bad hand knit sweater that Mrs. Weasley made for Harry Potter. Scenes of simple, heartfelt and meaningful gift giving.
Nowadays it tends to be different. We’re inundated with White Elephant gifts for work- and that party we’re invited to. Family gift exchanges with dollar amounts tagged to them. A list of things from Amazon that everybody wants. A list of teachers who need to be sent gifts before your students go on Christmas break. Expectations, dollar signs, gift receipts.
It’s already a season in which I struggle to detach from materialistic expectations, but come early to mid November I start getting hit hard with the pressures of modern gift giving. It’s expensive, can feel impersonal, and often more about the gift itself than about the act of giving.
Where is the magic?
In recent years I’ve started to lean towards Christmas gifts that are less “stuff”— meaning things that are consumable, low waste, or just pretty for their own sake. Just like the gifts from the Three Wise Men were symbolic of the awe and reverence that was due to the newly born King, it’s nice when the gift is simple enough that it leaves room for the intent behind it.
Here are a few ideas that I’ve come up with that can replace things that might end up in a donation pile next year. They’re not a “one size fits all”, but they might help provide some fresh inspiration for gift giving this year.
Taper Candles
Scented candles get most of the attention, but scent can very much be a personal preference. Might I suggest taper candles instead? There are so many beautiful and higher quality beeswax candles that make a perfect gift idea.
Beeswax Twisty Taper Candles from Terrain
Rope Taper Candles from World Market
Eco Colored Beeswax Taper Candles from Etsy
Flower Bulbs and Seeds
Flower bulbs and seeds can be dressed up into a lovely gift for anyone on your list who loves gardening. Certain bulbs can be purchased in winter to yield early spring blooms: hyacinth, paperwhites, narcissi, and amarylis. Sprint blooming seeds can be gathered into a beautiful presentation as well.
Amaryllis and paperwhite bulbs can be purchased in late autumn at local nurseries or grocery stores, if you are up for a DIY project. They are often carried at Christmastime already in bloom to be given as-is.
Floret Flowers has beautifully illustrated natural brown paper seed packets. Dress them up in a small box or envelope with a thoughtful note and you’re set!
Panettones
Panettones are specialty sweet breads, originating in Italy. They come pre packaged in a variety of festive and beautiful packaging, and ship very well. We’re fortunate enough to live in a city with Eataly, which carries just about every wonderful flavor combination you can think of, but they are available online and I imagine at many specialty food grocery stores.
Amarena Cherry Panettone
Pear and Chocolate Panettone
Limoncello Panettone
DIY Consumables
Are you crafty? If so, anything can be dressed up in a jar with a bow on it. Whether it be something edible or something more along the line of bath salts, this can be a great option for any batch gifts that need to be made. I’m tempted by the Creme de Cacao recipe, which I found recently when I discovered that there was artificial coloring in our store bought bottle.
Specialty Food Condiments
You know all of those specialty olive oils, or jams, or honeys, or vinegars on the top shelf of your fancy grocery store? They’d all make great gifts! I know I always appreciate when I’ve been gifted a specialty food item that I wouldn’t necessarily buy for myself. They also make great little additions to any gift basket that you might plan for a larger gift.
Any additions?
Do you have any simple or creative gift ideas that you’d tried and would like to add? I’d love for you to share it below for my to add to my own list. Cheers!
