Are you’re struggling to find a few last minute gifts for your relatives and friends and have totally given up (are you asking yourself if mom was really that good to me this year?)? Well, the perfect gift is actually not at some mall or a web site with a discount code, rather it’s right in your head or a byproduct of what you can do with your hands (it’s what you’re good at!).
Up until the proliferation of department stores, malls, downtown shops, and eCommerce, most folks made Christmas presents or gave away what they did well (namely, their special skill). A farmer would give away a ham, a carpenter would build a hutch, and a homemaker would bake items. The products were often of superior quality and truly “from the heart.” In today’s age, most of us don’t have the skill to build an elaborate piece of furniture of butcher our own meat, but we all do posses some special skill that we can turn into a fabulous Christmas gift. Here are five areas and gifts that come to mind:
1. Baked Goods
Can you make bread, cakes, or pasta? If so, put together a gift containing a chocolate cake and a pound of homemade linguine, for example,. Add a bottle of wine to the package and you have a “dinner at home” gift basket.
2. Photography / Art
Do you take good photos? If so, look for a nice wood frame, mate mount, and pick a special photo from your collection. If you’re an amateur or semi-pro artist then give away some of your work (it will get the word out on your work and getting original, hi-quality, artwork is always appreciated).
3. Cooking
Can you make food taste good? Put together a “gift certificate” for dinner at your place and include what you’ll be cooking for the guest. Include the name of the wine you will be serving on the certificate as well as the date and time for dinner. Trust me, if you can cook well, folks will love this gift! Alternatively, if you can make soups, make three batches of your favorite type and put them in large Mason jars and wrap each one with a bow (no one says no to homemade soup!)
4. Unique Homemade Stuff
Do you make your own wine or beer, canned tomatoes, barbecue sauce, cured meats, chocolate, etc. ? Put one or two of the homemade items in a nice box along with a note on how you made the product.
5. Handyman Skills
Are you a trained electrician, plumber, carpenter, painter, cabinetmaker, mechanic, etc.? If so, then you have a special skill that can be “gifted.” Just think of all your close friends and family who cannot do their own home repair! So, include a hand written note offering to paint a room, fix a leaking pipe , or install a new light fixture (maybe include an inexpensive tool for the project as well, such as a screwdriver or paintbrush). This is especially nice if you notice that something needs fixing in a friend’s home (just be subtle about how you make the offer, no one likes to be told that their home is in need of repair)
Great post, Vince! I love what you’ve got here. It’s about people, relationships and skills, not about stuff.
Thanks, Alison! Indeed, life is never about stuff! Let me know if you’d like to see a post on any given topic! Thanks again for the comment!
Best,
Vince
Give What You’re Good At. That was what I did this year. I made my brother a Yeti Hunting Kit (long story) and since I love photography, I made my grandma some note cards to use with pictures I’ve taken on the front of them. Needless to say, they both loved their gifts!
Synthroid.
Synthroid.