The hustle and bustle of holiday gift-giving, coupled with the accumulation of items, often brings stress. However, the festive season, starting from Thanksgiving, presents an excellent opportunity for families to declutter and engage in meaningful exchanges.
Here are seven creative strategies to convert the task of gift-giving into a chance for decluttering and better communication:
- Before Thanksgiving, inform your friends and family that you prefer gifts of experiences or consumables. Likewise, let them know you plan to give similar gifts.
- Also, before Thanksgiving, consider donating any surplus gift-wrapping materials and unused holiday decorations to charities. These can be very useful for those in need or for charity events.
- Get creative with gift wrapping by using materials like unused fabrics—think sheets, pillowcases, tablecloths, or even bandanas. This is an eco-friendly and inventive way to present gifts.
- Look around for items like boxes, baskets, tins, jars, and vases, repurposing them as unique and sustainable containers for gifts, especially for edible treats (like homemade spiced nuts!).
- Take the opportunity to pass down family heirlooms during the holidays, sharing the stories and memories associated with these special items.
- Organize a family scrapbooking session to sort through old photographs. This is a great way to relive memories, share stories, and responsibly dispose of less meaningful photos.
- Create video recordings of family members, young and old, sharing their stories and values. This not only preserves family history but also fosters deeper connections.
Finally, a thoughtful gift idea could be a homemade coupon offering your services as a downsizing assistant. It’s a gift of time and help that many relatives will appreciate amidst the clutter of the holidays.
Gail Rubin, Certified Thanatologist and The Doyenne of Death®, is an award-winning speaker, author, podcaster, and coordinator of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival (www.BeforeIDieFestivals.com). She is also a Certified Funeral Celebrant. Her four books on planning ahead for end-of-life issues – A Good Goodbye, Kicking the Bucket List, Hail and Farewell, and Before I Die Festival in a Box™ – are available through Amazon and her website, www.AGoodGoodbye.com.
Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
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