One of the best parts about the holiday season is giving back to the most important people in your life. There’s nothing quite like watching someone you care about open a gift that you’ve put a lot of thought into. This holiday season is going to be unique, so why not make the gifts you give that way too? Here are some tips for buying unique gifts this holiday season.
Shop Local
No matter who you’re buying for this holiday season, shop local if and when you can. The pandemic has been tough on local businesses across Canada, so if you’re able to safely support your local restaurants and shops, give them some love and consideration! Local shops are also where you’ll find gifts that you just can’t find at a big box store.
If you need help finding some great local businesses, community markets are a great place to find them and many are going online this year. Looking on social media can be a great source of gifting inspiration – looking through local hashtags on Instagram or shop local groups on Facebook can help find unique businesses in your area. You can also do a call out on social media to ask friends and family members for their recommendations on their favourite places in town.
Unique Gifts for Men
Beard Oil
We just finished Movember, so for the bearded men in your life, there’s nothing better than some beard oil. Not only does it control those scraggly hairs, but it also moisturizes your skin, makes your beard look fuller and helps it smell great. Call it a win-win-win!
Book of Dad Jokes
Dad jokes will never get old. They’re equal parts funny and cringe-worthy and you’ve probably laughed out loud at a couple from your dad. Celebrate the dad in your life this year by giving him a whole book of them.
Fitness Trackers
For the tech-gadget guys out there, a fitness tracker is a great way to help live a healthy lifestyle. Whether he’s already a fitness fanatic or just getting started, fitness trackers offer a great way to develop healthy habits and get to know your body.
Unique Gifts for Women
Meditation Apps
Meditation or Mindfulness Apps have become very popular and it turns out there’s a lot of reasons why. If you use them regularly, studies have found that they can reduce stress and help your blood pressure. They can also help with feelings of loneliness, acceptance and improve memory. These can be a great gift for the woman in your life who is always on the go and needs some time to relax and unwind.
Skin Care Subscription Boxes
Having a spa day is a great way to unwind but taking a whole day isn’t always possible with a hectic schedule. Bring the spa to that special person in your life with a monthly subscription box. Each month you get a box filled with face masks, scrubs, moisturizer and everything else you could need for a little pampering. These are a great gift for someone who’s busy and doesn’t spend a lot of time on themselves but deserves a spa day!
Yoga Accessories
Yoga is not only a great way to stay in shape but it also reduces stress. That’s why a yoga mat is a perfect gift for someone to start their yoga journey. If you already have a yogi in your life, get them some accessories like natural yoga mat spray, yoga socks or yoga bricks to make a full at-home studio.
Unique Gift Ideas for the Whole Family
Puzzles
With families spending more time together at home this year, puzzles have become more popular than ever across all ages. Puzzles are not only a great way to spend time together as a family but also improve your memory, problem-solving skills and attention to detail. Not to mention how great it feels to finish a huge puzzle!
Popcorn Making Kit
Family movie night is something to look forward to, especially when popcorn is involved. Why not bring the movie theatre home? A popcorn making kit is a perfect way to bring your movie nights to a whole new level of fun. Try different sweet and salty flavours depending on the movie you’re watching and let different members of the family take turns making it.
Board Games
Board games are a great way to spend time as a family and there’s always a family favourite out there. Board games can teach your kids about teamwork, gets their brains working and can help them unplug or distract them from the real world for a bit. Include classics like Monopoly, Scrabble, Clue or some new favourites like Settlers of Catan or Ticket to Ride.
Unique Holiday Gift Exchange Ideas
We haven’t been able to see everyone we would like to in person this year, but technology has allowed us to remain connected with the people we love. Video calling offers a great alternative to the typical annual holiday gift exchange. Whether you send your gifts ahead of time or do a non-contact drop off, you can still enjoy seeing someone you love open their gift. Since everything is a little different this year, why not come up with a couple different gift exchange ideas.
Ugly Holiday Sweater
Ugly sweaters have become a fun and comical tradition of the holiday season, whether intentionally ugly or not. Draw names randomly and have everyone make an ugly sweater for someone in your family. Then reveal them on your family video call.
Donate Your Gift
This year has been tough for everyone. If you’re able to do so, a great way to get into the holiday spirit and give back is to make a donation. This is something you can do as an entire family, and teaches the young ones the importance of community and taking care of each other during difficult times.
Just because we can’t all be together this holiday season doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the traditions that we’ve come to know and love. Hopefully, these unique ideas will help you make this holiday season an enjoyable one.