Standing in long lines. Buying another sweater or tie that won’t be worn. Trying to find the perfect present for loved ones is a challenge. Especially for those who have everything.

What do you get for someone who doesn’t need anything?

Over the years, I have struggled with this question every Christmas. Today I want to share a few creative and meaningful gifts I’ve given over the years.

1. Shadow box frame: My husband had a collection of memorabilia that belonged to his late father: badges, pins, photos, etc. from his father’s time in the military and from his work as a firefighter. I took those items and placed them in a large shadow box and gave it to my husband as a gift. Important momento’s from trips, memories of times past, and items from a lost loved one are all things that can be put in a shadow box and given as a gift.

2. Legacy Jar: I wanted to preserve the stories from my parent’s life for my children so one year I made a “Legacy Jar.” I came up with 52 questions for my parents to answer about their childhood and adult life and placed them in a jar. They were to answer one question a week and write the answer down in a journal I provided. The following Christmas they were to return the completed journal to me. I included questions such as “What was your first car?” “What did you like to do for fun as a child?” “What was your favorite subject in school?” This is a gift that can be passed down through the generations.

3. Experiences: Sometimes giving the gift of an experience is fun. A couple of times I’ve given tickets to a particular event or show to our relatives. To make it more fun, I made a scavenger hunt for them to do to find their gift. Along the way they collected clues about where they would be going. Last year, my in-laws put together a scavenger hunt for my kids to do to find their gift: a trip to LEGOLAND.

One time I also wrote a little story to go with a gift I was giving to someone about an experience I was sending them to. I wrapped up a couple of small gifts that went with the experience I was giving them and with each gift they unwrapped, they read another portion of the story until they got to the last present which was the actual gift.

4. Photo gifts: These days, photo gifts are one of the easiest and meaningful gifts to give. Our relatives love the photo books we’ve given. Calendars, mugs, key chains with photos of my children have also been well received. There are also companies that will make gifts out of your children’s art which also make great gifts.

5. Date night: For a spouse, planning a weekend away or some special date nights for the coming year is a great gift. Giving your spouse a calendar with the date nights written in, along with where you are taking them can make a great gift. If you plan a weekend away, you can give little gifts that give them clues as to where you are taking them (a map, travel guide, a new toiletry bag, etc.)

6. Handprint gifts: I love handprint gifts. There are so many cute things you can make with a child’s handprint. One example is handprint ornaments. See the examples below that we’ve given in past years.

7. Donations: Last, but not least, is to give a donation to a charity in another person’s name. Some charities will give you a card or some other item to give the person saying that you made a donation in their honor. On a similar note, purchasing a handmade item from a developing nation is another great gift idea. Purchasing the gift supports the people in that nation and your loved one gets a unique handmade gift.

Have you any ideas to share of meaningful gifts to give this Christmas?

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