How to NOT Give Gifts and Still Celebrate the Holidays

Like most people, I really enjoy the holiday season. I love spending time with my family and celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. In the past, Christmas was a stressful time for my household financially. A few years ago, we decided to skip Christmas gifts for our families of origin and extended family as well as any extra activities like gift exchanges and donations.

We were laser-focused on saving money for a house so that’s where all our extra money went. We still enjoyed the holidays and gave back though. If money is tight or you’re focusing on certain financial goals, it’s okay to skip Christmas gifts for people. Here are some tips if you’re planning not to give gifts but still want to celebrate and enjoy the holidays.

Setting Boundaries For Reciprocity

The one issue I’d see with our decision not to give gifts to friends and family or friends was receiving gifts from them and having nothing to offer in return. Reciprocity can sting around this time of year because you may feel obligated to buy a gift for someone who gives you something.

To eliminate this ‘guilty’ feeling, plan on setting boundaries with loved ones and just being honest. Tell everyone that you won’t be giving gifts this year but you’re looking forward to spending quality time together. If you’re saving for a big goal like we were, share those plans if you feel comfortable so your loved ones are on the same page and don’t feel obligated to get you anything either.

You can always say something like “Our needs are very low this year and we don’t want any gifts” and that works too.

The whole point of exchanging gifts is to provide someone with something that will be useful and valuable to them. If someone does still decide to get you something after setting clear boundaries, realize they probably just wanted to do it without any expectation in return. So don’t feel obligated to return the gesture.

Giving Our Time and Talents

Instead of giving gifts, focus on giving your time and talents to others because it will be much more memorable. My mom and in-laws tend to need a lot of help around the house so I’d much rather spend an afternoon doing something nice for them. Maybe you can relate.

Even if you skip Christmas gifts, you can also consider visiting family members that you don’t see often help prepare a meal, make a dessert, or bring a movie and make hot chocolate.

Volunteering is something else that you can do year-round and especially around Christmas, because so many people are in need. Contact some organizations and food pantries in your area to see what they need help with.

Related: 7 Ways to Bless Someone and Give Back This Holiday Season 

Enjoying the Faith-Based Aspect of Christmas

Christmas is a huge holiday for Christians like myself, but I’ll be the first to admit that it’s so easy to get caught up in the gifts and money and forget about the true meaning of the holiday.

By giving fewer gifts this year, I’m hoping I’ll have less to worry about and can actually the true meaning of Christmas in regards to the Christian faith as well as spending quality time with my loved ones even more. I just started observing advent a few years ago and it’s been a great way to honor the coming birth of Jesus and reflect on my gratitude.

Being Present

Finally, being more present with loved ones is another way to skip Christmas gifts this year and still enjoy the holiday season. You can still attend parties, potlucks, and events but focus on being present and creating memories as opposed to giving presents.

We have a ton of traditions we love too that we will still keep up with like putting up our tree and watching Christmas movies, making a gingerbread house, riding the holiday train, ice skating, and sledding if there’s snow.

Summary

These are just a few ways to plan on happily celebrating the holidays without giving gifts to extended family and friends. Your holiday season may look a lot different from others if you decide to skip Christmas gifts and that’s fine. Do what makes you happy and feel good while also sticking within the constraints of your budget.

Will you be slowing down on Christmas gifts this year or doing the exact opposite? Why or why not?