Gift Giving – 2024 Edition

Can’t believe it’s that season again – when we all struggle with trying to decide what to buy for those who are closest to us. We want to celebrate their importance to us and to celebrate how we feel about them. Apart from dealing with the commerciality of the season, this end goal is really, really hard because it means so much.

Gift giving seems to go through a variety of transitions over our lives. We go through phases of gift giving – initially, we give gifts that say something cute to a new friend or romantic interest but may just be a trinket or token; we then move to gifts that are trendy because everyone wants one; eventually, we indulge in financially more expensive gifts that say “you deserve this” and then, when we and our loved ones have all the stuff we need, ultimately, we look for gifts that are more personal, less commercial, perhaps even made with the hands of the gift giver.

At this stage of my life, I’ve come full circle around gift giving. Most of my family and friends have as well. What to do for those who really don’t need more stuff? Here are a few ideas.

I’ll start with something that has become near and dear to my heart – giving to a charitable cause. Frankly, at this stage of my life, I leave the purchase of “stuff” to others in my circle. Instead, I will donate a generous amount of my year end budget to causes that I know the gift recipients on my list all support, and I will put those donations in their name. Then I send them a card or notice of that transaction. You might think this is a bit impersonal and not something that stays with them for the year, but if it’s a cause they support, they do very much appreciate the gesture. And I get to feel good about it too.

Gifts that recognize an accomplishment rank high on the list of best gifts ever too. Think of the milestones that you and your family/friends have passed this year and you might land on some gift ideas that you had not considered. New arrivals in the family, first day of school, new job, new pet, recent retirement, a move to a new location, overcoming a health issue, discovery of a new hobby interest, all lend themselves to gift ideas. Even here, activities rather than things can have more meaning. Think about what activity would make that milestone even more precious. It might be a spa day, an offer to babysit to give new parents a week away, or even doggie training lessons.

Next is what I’ve mentioned above – something made with my own hand. As a photographer, this is easy. Unfortunately, I’m not a portrait photographer, so it’s a bit less easy. The gift that had one of the greatest impacts on my family was a collage I prepared of the wedding photos of my two nieces, juxtaposed with the wedding photos of their parents. A little Photoshop editing, a few picture frames, and a gift was born. In fact, multiple copies. Giving something personal – it could even be a treasured possession – will always have a greater emotional impact than that commercial purchase. At least it will once you are over that commercial phase.

One interesting thing I’ve noticed is that books and reading in general don’t seem to qualify as good gifts anymore, at least not for adults. Strangely, not so for young ones. Story books and picture books are still as popular as ever for kids under 8-10 years old. But I’ve noticed that once adults reluctantly give into the solution of screen time to keep their kids busy and entertained, hard cover books seem to fall by the wayside. And in all fairness, it is easier to borrow a book electronically now from the library than to go and get it physically. But let me suggest offering printed books again to the favourite adults in your life. Personally, I would be delighted to get a book about a subject I am interested in. And if there is a photographer in your life, I can recommend two this season:

1. The Women Who Changed Photography, by Gemma Padley
2. Visually Speaking, by Ted Forbes

When you do turn toward “stuff” as an option, little things can have more meaning than big expensive things. When I took up photography, I concentrated on the big ticket items – camera, lenses, tripod and carry case/bag. I quickly discovered that there are accessories that make my life easier and make my photography more fun. I outlined some of these in last year’s blog post about Christmas gifts. It’s still relevant I think. This year, here are a few things I’ve found to help me enjoy photography more:

• a small, inexpensive shoulder camera bag from Amazon that forces me to carry less and is easier to access than a backpack
• a foldable l-bracket that can easily be attached and detached from my camera
• a dummy battery for my Canon camera that let’s me shoot at home without worrying about switching batteries
• a foldable camping cart to move my telescopes around out in the field – this was really handy this year
• a soft sided well padded bag for my telescope
• magnetic quick release mount clips for my GoPro camera that eliminate the need to screw and unscrew attachments with my arthritic hands

Many of these might be considered stocking stuffers. But honestly, receiving any of these from someone who took the time to consider what might make things easier is all the gift I need. It truly is the thought that counts.

So Happy Holidays everyone, and let’s look forward to a prosperous and healthy New Year!