I try to be a minimalist. Everything we own comes at a cost - the upfront price we pay for it (and the number of work hours that translates to), the clutter it adds to our space and mind, the complexity it adds to our life and the waste and impacts it has on the world. So I try only to buy few high-quality things that will "spark joy" and be regularly useful. That's not always fool-proof, so I also try to return, donate or trash stuff that I don't use.
So I'm not a big fan of the season of gifting. It's very wasteful. People spend hard-earned money to give you stuff you likely don't need and you have to reciprocate by giving them things they don't need. It's also hard work and stressful - you have to think/shop/wrap and also hope the receiver likes it. Then you have to find use for your stuff or stow it away somehow.
But I'm not a total grinch either. I recognize that there is joy, however short-lived, in exchanging gifts. The tradition isn't going to go away and is bound by strong network effects, so I anticipate participating reluctantly over many years to come. I want to do it in the most joyous and least wasteful way possible by giving out thoughtful gifts.
A thoughtful gift falls under one of these categories:
- Something they'd love to use or experience but didn't know about. It helps them with an interest or activity they already do or it'll set off a new passion.
- Something they have been thinking about buying or doing for a while, but are stuck on the fence.
- Something they want or need, but can't afford or access.
