Gift giving should be something that is exciting and fun! But this year, in this economy? You’re not alone if the thought fills you with dread. But we promise, there are really lovely gifts you can give people that cost precisely $0. In fact, we’d even go as far as saying gestures that have had time and thoughtfulness poured into them are always more memorable and loved than an overpriced candle you grabbed at the last minute. Here are six completely free gifts that would honestly make us sob if we received them. All that’s required is a little bit of time, love and effort.
Tips for Free Gift Giving
First, some crucial advice. While these tips apply no matter what the gift, they are especially important when you’re giving a free gift or something a little out of the ordinary:
- Match the gift to the person: Give them something you know they will actually like and appreciate. If they’re not a music person, forget about making the playlist.
- Follow through: If your gift is a coupon to help clean out your parents garage, then it goes without saying you do actually need to clean out their garage. And please, get it done before next Christmas!
- Presentation is key: Presentation can completely change the experience – even something as simple as a ribbon can make a $0 gift feel fancy. If you’ve got a few bucks to spare, check out your local $2 shop for little decorative items to dress them up.
1. Write a Heartfelt Letter or Card
This is a classic for a reason. Write a letter, poem, short story, or maybe even a comic about the what the person means to you, or revisit your favourite memory of them, or the reasons why you are proud of them. In the age of digital-and-disposable-everything, a handwritten, meaningful message really stands out.
2. Make a Personalised Spotify Playlist
The modern day mixtape to get someone all in their feels. Curate a customised Spotify playlist just for them – it can be songs that make you think of them, reference to specific memories or experiences, or simply music you think they’d like.
@iloveliluzii DONT KILL MY VIBEE#AFairShotWithBlock #ily #bsf #stevelacy #tylerthecreator #spotify #playlist #bestfriend #kendricklamar #spotifyplaylist #ilhersm #her #foryoupage #fyp ♬ btch dont kill my vibe – hearts2tyler 💫
3. Record Personalised Pick-Me-Up Voice Notes
Take inspiration from the many wonderful meditation, motivation and mental health apps out there and record some short and sweet personal audio messages using your phone’s voice recorder. Script for scenarios specific to them, and send with instructions for when they should listen. For example, a voice note to listen to when they’ve got Sunday scaries or Monday blues; after a bad date; when they need a pump up before a big meeting; or when they’re feeling lazy or grumpy. The more personal the messages, with in-jokes or references only they will understand, the better! Hot tip: this is a tear-jerker gift for parents or grandparents that you live far away from!
4. Do A Book Exchange
As Stephen King once said, “books are uniquely portable magic.” Who are we to argue with the King? Gift your friend some magic by grabbing your favourite book, or one from your collection you think they’d enjoy, and gift it to them. Bonus points for annotations in the margins or on sticky notes! It could be the start of a sweet tradition to exchange one book at Christmas every year.
@book_bitc._ <3 #booktok #songofachilles #bookrecs #bookish #gay #bookannotations #lgbtq ♬ original sound – pete davidson🇪🇪
5. Make Your Own Personalised Coupon Book
An oldie but a goodie. Sometimes what we really need is not a material item, but just a helping hand. So grab some notecards to fill with small tasks you can do to help your friend out – whether that’s offering to do errands, chores, baby sit, or come over for a cup of tea or instant coffee. This is really a gift for both of you, because helping out your loved ones feels good. It’s also a less daunting way to say, “Hey, I want to spend more time with you”. Make it feel legit with an expiry date (which will encourage them to use it!) This is a great one for grandparents.
6. Create a Photo Album
How many photos of your friends are on your phone, that they’ve never seen? Exactly. Print them out and put together a photo album, so the memories can be actually enjoyed rather than being forgotten amongst the thousands on your camera roll. If you don’t have a printer, use a tool like Canva to make a digital version. Yes, it’s still digital, but the point is to share photos they might have forgotten about. You can always print it out later! Extra sentimental brownie points if you hold onto things like ticket stubs and mementos from times together so you can include them, scrapbook-style.
Comments are closed.