Anyone else’s wallet still trying to recover from the Black Friday/Cyber Monday madness? Let that baby breathe ‘till the next Glossier sale hits… no need to stress if you spent your entire November paycheck on yourself and everyone else’s Christmas list flew out the window. If you’re like us and you’re balling on a budget this holiday season, you might be in need of some slightly more creative and slightly (and by slightly we mean totally) free gift ideas for the ones you love. We’ve decided not to bombard your inbox with yet another product gift guide – behold, the Gift of Giving Guide! Because giving truly is a gift itself, and it’s even better when it’s free. Free free free, free free, free.
For the Grandparent:
Commit to handwriting and mailing your grandparent(s) a letter a month for the year of 2022. If you’re lucky enough to have a living grandparent or grandparents, consider giving them the gift of snail mail. A handwritten letter is a classic gesture they’ll appreciate and there’s nothing gammy or pops loves more than hearing updates about your life and knowing you’re thinking of them. It’ll take 10 minutes a month tops, and it’s something they can look forward to all year long. And yes, we know what you’re all wondering, stamps are still sold at grocery stores.
For Mom:
Put together a family powerpoint night. Skip the board games one night when you’re home for the holidays (or make it virtual!) and host the TikTok trending ppt slide night for your mom. Make some digital scans of your fam’s favorite and most hilarious memories and mom moments, pour a few glasses of wine, and get to commemorating. She will LOVE it. Moms love memories, this much we know is true.
For Dad:
Suggest spending an afternoon together doing something he actually enjoys. It’s not hard to crack the dad-code. Why don’t you try straight up asking your dad how he’d most like to spend an afternoon with you? Offer up a few hours of your Saturday to join him in doing dad things. Hey, even offer to have him tell you all about why he loves said dad thing. Who knows, maybe he’ll buy lunch 😉.
For the best friend:
Throw it back with a good old fashioned sleepover! It’s not cheesy, we swear. Might we suggest a wine and pizza night with your bestie on the couch? Cozy up in front of a crackling fire or your favorite version of The Parent Trap and catch up on all the hot goss. Paint each other’s nails or braid each other’s hair over a bowl of popcorn and reminisce about the good old days, it’s fun okay!!
For the coworker:
Offer to take a task off their year end to-do list. We all know the end-of-year scramble can be incredibly overwhelming. If you have a spare afternoon, mosey on down to your work wife’s office (or Slack channel) and offer to take something off their plate! A balanced spreadsheet or quick email can go a long way.
Do these air on the side of corny? Sure. But is it corny to spend time with the ones you love, help out a friend, or show someone you’ve been thinking of them? Literally never. The entire reason we knock on your inbox’s door once a month is to encourage you to get together and share an intentional moment of connection with the ones around you. What better way to do that than to gift your friends and family the opportunity to do exactly that?! May your holiday season be filled with giving, loving, celebrating, and togetherness.
Signing off. We love you, happy holidays!
– Kearby Tinsley, CCO