First off I’m going to say that if you haven’t finished your Christmas shopping yet, get your butt in gear! Don’t you know it’s less than a week till Christmas?
That said, if you still can’t possibly come up with a decent Christmas gift for that minimalist in your life, I’ve come up with a few suggestions.
Buying Christmas Gifts for a Minimalist
As someone with minimalist tendencies, Christmas is a problematic time of year for me. After all, hardly a Christmas will go by that doesn’t involve me receiving at least one totally useless item. There is simply no room in my life for useless items, so I’m typically faced with the hard decision of getting rid of it while feeling like a terrible person, or finding some place to stow the gift until I can get rid of it guilt free.
That’s not really a winning situation for anyone involved. So, what to get a person that doesn’t like stuff?
The first thought that jumps to my mind would be a gift card. That’s a pretty minimalist gift, right? WRONG!
As small and unassuming and minimalist as a gift card might seem, if it’s from a store like Wal-Mart, the Home Depot, or the mall, it’s really not minimalist at all. It’s just another item, disguised as minimalism. Albeit, the minimalist in question will be able to spend the money on whatever they deem fit and will hopefully buy something useful, it’s still a means to consuming more stuff, and therefore, not truly minimalist.
Top Minimalist Christmas Gifts
Classes
Last year, I got a great gift from my mother. She paid for a photography course for me. I’ve been interested in DSLR photography for a long time but I’ve always been intimidated when looking up information online. The course was a great basic introduction and I’m so happy she got it for me. Classes can be a great gift for a minimalist, whether it’s yoga, photography, or pet obedience (which I asked for this year). Since it’s an experience you’re gifting, it definitely qualifies as minimalist.
Gift Cards
Wait what? Oh yeah, there are tons of gifts cards that definitely qualify as minimalist gifts. Gift cards for things like movie money, iTunes the Google Play store, restaurants and the spa are great gifts, without adding clutter to their lifestyle.
Things to Help Declutter
As a minimalist, I don’t hate every single material possession some one gives me. To the contrary, I love receiving gifts! With all that stuff I receive, it would be nice to get a gift to help me keep all my stuff straight! Things like cord organizers, drawer dividers and fashionable storage can all be great gifts for a minimalist. My current favourite Christmas stocking stuffer is this guy, I want one for my bedside table!
Food
I might have minimalist tendencies, but I love food. Good quality cheeses, chocolates, and wine would be great Christmas gifts to me. Especially since I’ll enjoy consuming them, and they won’t take up valuable space in my house once they’re spent.
Your Time
Got a skill your dear minimalist is in need of? Offer it up as a gift! This might seem cheap to some, but I would personally love this as a gift for Christmas. Whether it’s cleaning, gardening, cooking, or auto repair, being able to get stuff done for free is fine by me.
Shopping for a Minimalist Doesn’t Have to be Torture
Yes, minimalists are little more tricky to shop for. Yes, they have a little different idea of what a ‘good’ gift is. That doesn’t mean that shopping for a minimalist is impossible though! With a little thought and a perspective change, minimalist Christmas gifts are all around, you just need to know what to look for.
Do you have a minimalist in your life? Are you getting him or her a Christmas gift? I want to know!