With gift-giving season thrumming, what gifts have you planned for the creative person in your life? “Creative” covers a whole lot of ground, I know. In my family, we have two proven artists (one who is under age 10 and one who is over 40), two skilled woodworkers, a photographer, two unmatched readers, and the list goes on. You could probably come up with a similar list in your own circle.
Supplies might be the easy gifts to give. Wood for the woodworker, fresh colored pencils for the artist, new books for the avid readers. Yet the supply chain shortages and the rising cost of postage will make gift giving a particularly stressful challenge for many this year. There’s certainly nothing wrong with the old standards. But what if you took gift-giving a step further this year and challenged yourself to (like a creative person) think outside the box?
Here are 5 creative gift ideas for the creative person in your life that are not tied to the choked supply chain and that won’t break your bank at the post office:
1) Gift a local experience. What activity would the creative person in your life love to experience but probably would not spend money on herself? Consider paying for a visit to a local museum, booking an escape room, planning a food tour, paying for an hour of go kart racing or an evening of painting pottery. No matter where you are, you can always find something uniquely local. Here are 26 unique experience gifts to consider.
2) Gift time with you. Create a snazzy certificate that’s good for one hour, or one afternoon, or one day with you! Think of an activity you and your creative person enjoy doing and decorate the certificate around that theme. Plan a hike, book a manicure, schedule an afternoon for downtown shopping, grab a beer at a local pub and spend some quality time catching up. The possibilities are endless. Offering your time in intentional ways goes a long toward showing a loved one how much you care.
3) Gift help with a specific project. What projects does the creative person in your life have on his plate? Maybe he is planning a kitchen remodel, building a deck, re-designing an office or organizing years of family photos. Think of specific ways you could help this person move forward on that project. If you’re skilled in the tools of the trade, offer your tools and your hands. If the skills themselves are not your forte, offer to provide lunch or dinner on a day he plans to work on his project. Offer to keep the creative person in your life accountable for a project he has set out to do. You will learn more about what’s important to him, and he will see that you care about what’s important to him.
4) Gift a day of community service. What community or social issues does the creative person in your life care about? If she’s on a mission to save the planet, plan a trash pick-up day with her around town (and top it off with a yummy meal at a local restaurant). Does she care deeply about the homeless population? Schedule a time to volunteer at or bring food to a local homeless shelter. You can present this gift as an activity the two of you would plan to do together, or you can present it as a gift dedicated to the creative person in your life (for example, a certificate that makes it clear that you are doing something in her honor). Here are 70 ideas for community service projects.
5) Gift a local service. Seek referrals for the best local services and buy the creative person in your life a gift card. Who in town gives the best massages? Who caters the best meals? Who provides excellent lawn care? Who provides affordable and reliable house cleaning services? You get the idea. Identify a service that your loved one could benefit from and cover the cost – for one time, for one month, etc. I offer gift cards for coaching services on my website. Most any service provider will be happy to accommodate a request from you, especially if it means good business and referral opportunities for them!
Thinking outside the box isn’t hard, once you start doing it. Breaking away from the things at your fingertips in the big box stores as you’re doing your Christmas shopping might be a challenge. But the more personalized a gift is, the more the person you’re giving it to will appreciate it. Don’t settle for lackluster or impersonal gifts this year. Avoid the supply chain issues and the long lines at the post office and give the creative person in your life something they’ll really remember and cherish well beyond Christmas Day.
What unique gift will you give the creative person in your life this year? I’d love to hear about it! Drop me a line at kate@katemeadows.com or comment below.
