Minimal, Frugal, and Simple Living Gift Guide
Today is Black Friday in the United States and it inspired me to write this post on how to give a little more simply this holiday season. I love the holiday season. I relish in family time, delicious food, the snuggly (#hygge) atmosphere. Curtis and I even like to stretch out the holidays from mid-November to New Years Day (when we celebrate with his family over a day of football games on tv!), so we really maximize the season.
But days like Black Friday really bug me. Major corporations trying to turn this time into a frenzy of over-consumption and over-spending just doesn’t put me in the holiday spirit. This relentless emphasis on spending stresses and tires people out, and sometime pushes them into making poor financial decisions.
But the holidays don’t have to be this way!
Now, I’m not here to convince you not to buy gifts for your friends and family this holiday season. You need to do what will make you and the people around you happy and comfortable. And manhy people — me included — love the feeling of choosing something special to give at the holidays. What I’m suggesting is a shift in mindset around holiday gift giving.
Consider giving gifts that are minimal, often inexpensive, and simple. Consider giving gifts that are practical, or gifts that inspire a little creativity. Prioritize supporting small-businesses or big box store. Instead of giving gifts that create clutter, consider giving consumables or something someone can use every day of the year. Instead of showering people with more toys and clothes, prioritize experiences!
All the items on this holiday gift guide are things I have given to friends or family in the past, or would love to receive myself. The list follows the common four-gift principle: a gift you want, need, wear, and read, but I’ve made a few of my own modifications!
Take this frugal, anti-consumerist woman’s word for it, and let me be your guide for a minimal, frugal, and simple holiday season:
Something They Want:
You can still give a gift that spoils the special person on your list! Try to make any “want” gifts something they’ll use every day, something that brings them closer to friends or family, or something that supports a small business or independent brand.
– Coffee or Tea gadgets: a Chemex for pour-over coffee; or Hasami Mugs which are high-quality, minimal, porcelain mugs that are functional and stackable (easy to store in a small apartment!)
– A Moleskin notebook or planner
– A Self-Care, Relaxation kit: include essential oils in lavender and bergmont, or candles, and a bag of Espsom Salts.
– A favorite record: You’ll have to tailor this to your person’s musical tastes, but do consider shopping at a a local record store this holiday season! The experts there will help you find the perfect gift.
– Something for hosting: Choose wine glasses, or a slate cheese board. This is a great present for friends, so you can promise to get together at home throughout the year instead of going out to dinner or getting drinks at the bar.
– A seed catalog and a potted plant for gardeners who are dreaming of spring planting season! You can find really unique plants at your local plant nursery, and the lovely folks there can give you tips on what kind of plant will be best for your person.
Something They Need:
– A good water bottle: This is a perfect gift for just about everyone, whether they like to go on hikes, to the gym, catch an occasional yoga class, or even just work in an office. Hydroflask water bottles are the best because they keep your drink cool (or hot) for hours on end and they don’t contain plastic. I prefer these to glass water bottles because I don’t have to be delicate with them.
– A cozy wool blanket will last a lifetime. These are made near my hometown.
– Kitchen Tools: I had to consult my husband on this one, but he claims the most practical gifts anyone can receive are things for their kitchen. Things like, a wine key that won’t break, a nice wooden cutting board, serving bowls, a set of knives, cast iron pan, or a Dutch oven. The ideas are endless.
– A pound of coffee beans from their favorite place. I drink coffee every single day so one of my favorite gifts to receive is nice coffee beans. It saves me from the hassle and expensive of having to buy my own coffee and I really savor a special bag of coffee beans from a roaster I enjoy.
Something to Wear EAT!
Forget clothes this Christmas — Americans already have more things to wear than they will ever use. Instead go for something your person can eat or drink — consumables are such a fun gift to give and receive! Plus, these are really thoughtful gifts that don’t cost much at all. And they are perfect for any minimalists on your list who don’t like clutter, or people who have particular tasts making them tricky to buy for.
– Fresh baked bread. Or any kind of baked good, really! I tend to stick with breads over sweets because of how many sweets are given, eaten and received during the holiday season.
– Or better yet, their own sourdough starter and a book on how to make their own homemade bread. My cousin gave Curtis and I this gift as a wedding present and I thought it was the most creative thing I’ve ever received.
– Pick out a six-pack or a growler (in which case, the recipient gets a sweet reusable growler!) of your favorite beer from your hometown.
– Snack items for party hosts. I always choose popcorn as a gift to give holiday party hosts because we have an amazing locally owned popcorn shop in our neighborhood. But you can choose any snack-y food item (cured meat, cheese, pretzels, cookies, chocolate bark) — try to prioritize something that’s made where you live so your gift is unique!
Something to Read
If you’re an avid reader, you might find it a breeze to recommend and select books for your family and friends. But if you find it hard to pick out a book for someone else, you might choose something from one of these categories I’ve put together. These are types of books that people enjoy, but in my opinion might be less apt to buy for themselves at random, so your odds that they won’t have these picks already are better.
– Book of Poetry: Either collection by Rupi Kaur, or anything by Ginsberg, Frank O’Hara, or John Ashberry for starts.
– Biography: Choose a biography, memoir, or even essay collection by their favorite actor, musician, writer, really anyone! The bookstores are stuffed with these types of books at the holidays season so I’m sure you’ll be able to find just the right thing for the person on your list.
– “Coffee Table” Or Inspirational Books: The New York Times 36 Hours Books — there are editions for anywhere your person might be interested in travelling; Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms, or Greenterior: Plant Loving Creatives and Their Homes for the “plant-nerd” on your list; The Nordic Theory of Everything: In Search of a Better Life, or The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living; or Simple Matters for someone looking to de-clutter and simplify life; or In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from over 100 Makers for the creative entrepreneur on your list.
– Children’s Books: A book for the kids of museum-lovers: Museum Shapes, Colors, 123, and ABC; for a little girl (or grown-up woman!) Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls; A classic like: Goodnight Moon, The Polar Express, or Guess How Much I Love You; or a meaningful twist on one of those classics – for example, my mom bought me Goodnight St. Louis after I moved away so I could remember my hometown.
Something to Do — Give the gift of experiences
– A special framed photograph – this is a perfect gift for Grandparents or family members
– Tickets to a special event – My mom loves to receive tickets to go to a sporting event, concert, or a show. It’s something so fun to do together!
– A museum membership – My mom nailed it by getting my goddaughter a zoo membership this year. I love the idea of giving a zoo, science center, or museum membership and plan to use it in the future for other families with children.
– A class you can take together – If you and your friend or family member share a hobby or even a “fantasy-hobby” (something you’ve never done before, but talk all the time about doing) consider signing up for a class to do it together! This could be making ceramics, floral design, fabric-dying, or cooking. Just see what’s available in your local area.
– A stay at a cabin in the woods – My husband and I don’t buy presents for each other for birthdays or holidays. Instead we put the money we would have spent toward awesome vacations! But if you prefer to get a gift for your special someone, consider a weekend-getaway to a cool dream house you find on AirBnb. If I were you, I would pick a remote cabin off-the-grid, but pick whatever vacation will help you relax and spend quality-time together!
– A home-cooked meal – This is a great way to get to spend time with your friends and family, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Just propose that instead of trading gifts this year you take turns cooking and hosting each other at home. You can make something simple and cozy like chili or soup and just enjoy the time together.
Give to Charity
The holidays are the perfect time to give to the great organizations you love. Of course you can give a gift to a charity someone loves in that person’s name. Or, sit down with your family to make a list of your favorite charities and make a donation to these places together.
I hope these ideas inspire you in your gift-giving this year!
Happy holidays! -Emily, Curtis & Gus
