The holiday season is filled with the anticipation of giving and receiving wonderful gifts. However, economic events may be impacting friends and family members in uneven ways. It is no surprise that inflation has increased the price of many things from dining out, to groceries or even a haircut.
Because of this, many people living on fixed incomes may not have as much discretionary money to spend this year on gifts. Those still working may have less money in their bank accounts at the end of each month.
For those readers who are facing a change in their financial status, this month’s column reminds readers, “It is not the gift, but the thought that counts,” an adage attributed to Henry Van Dyke Jr. in the 1900s.
So how can someone be thoughtful in their gift-giving? How about considering a series of gifts that express your head, heart and hands. This could be a single gift representing one of these or a few small ones representing all three. Some ideas might include:
- Head: Gifting something you have read and offering to meet and discuss it is a great gift. Who doesn’t love sharing a favorite book with others? A one-on-one book club can be very educational and the time spent together joyful.
- Heart: The least expensive and most thoughtful way to share gifts of the heart could be identifying something that you can do for someone else. Consider giving coupons that offer hours of baby or pet sitting so that a friend or family member can have time to themselves. Schedule set times to take a walk with someone and listen to their stories. Invite someone to a movie and offer to buy the ticket. Spending time with others can truly “warm the heart” with little or any cost.
- Hands: Gifting something that you make or produce may be the most thoughtful expression of all. Baking cookies and sweets is a great holiday tradition and much less expensive than purchasing such items. Selecting a favorite picture and placing it in a frame is another thoughtful way to show affection for others with very little cost. Creating a scrapbook of pictures that detail a recent trip is a nice reminder of time spent together. Making coupons that offer to help clean a house, cook a few meals, help with laundry or yardwork are other inexpensive gifts that show kindness and gratitude. Another idea is to divide a current houseplant and place it in a nice pot as a gift. Plant tulips or paperwhites in a nice bowl and treat the recipient to watching nature take its course throughout the bleak winter months.
Experiencing a period of financial stress should not keep you from celebrating the holidays with joy.
Advice this month: Acknowledge the situation and don’t feel compelled to use debt to fund a gift this year. True friends and family will be impressed with the gift of head, heart or hands and you can be proud of your cleverness!
Beth Stegner Peabody is CEO of Stegner Investment Associates and a graduate of Sacred Heart Academy and St. Agnes School.
