Everyone wants to make their holiday shopping more exciting for both themselves and their recipients. But how, you ask? There are some gifts you’re dying to get your loved ones, but sometimes it’s not in your budget. Studies have shown that the best gifts are really the ones that come from the heart. It’s not about buying someone the most expensive gift, but showing that you care. Each of the ideas below will make gift giving more meaningful and budget-friendly this holiday season!

Take a Look at What to Get Your Giftee this Year!

The Traveler: Many people make it a plan to travel more in the new year and, in fact, traveling is a really common bucket list item. Traveling gives us exposure to different cultures and different ways of living that most of us are not accustomed to. It takes us out of our comfort zone and makes us feel more connected to the world around us. For the most part, if you ask anyone what they would do if they won $1 million, you will hear “travel” every time.

Now, if you don’t have the funds to give your loved ones a month-long, all-expense-paid trip to Paris you’re not alone. There are other things you can do to get your traveler on their way, though. Depending on where your traveler wants to go they might not speak English in that country, so if someone wants to go to France get them a French dictionary! But don’t stop there. Bookmans has various travel guides and maps that might help your traveler get a better sense of what to expect when they get there.

Spend the day with your traveler practicing their French and helping them with basic phrases to help them get around the city. Important phrases like “Where is the bathroom” are common ones they’ll need to practice!

You could also buy them a journal and encourage them to write down what they did each day while they were there! One of the people’s biggest regrets when traveling is not documenting each thing they did. They can look back on the journal years later and reminisce about their trip all over again. Start their journal off for them by writing a sentimental note on the first page that they can cherish on their trip.

 

 

Getting to visit a new city is exhilarating but overwhelming. There are so many things to do and see, but what people mainly travel for is to experience the history of the city itself. If you’re going to Paris you’re most likely going to the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre (the biggest museum in the world). Get them a short book about these landmarks to get them hyped up for their trip! Help them make a list of the things they must see at the Louvre because otherwise, it would take days to see everything.

 

 

 

 

The Minimalist: Minimalists value experiences over tangible things. Now how are you going to go about getting someone an experience? To start, you can spend time with them at one of the plethora of free events for all ages Bookmans’ next month! We’ll be having Christmas movies, ornament decorating, and meeting Santa Claus – a great place to start! We’ll be watching Elf, The Polar Express, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and The Santa Claus, all Christmas classics. It’s hard to get tired of watching a movie you only get to see once a year and you’ll get to spend some quality time with your family. But, if that’s not enough, there are some other great events going on around town.

If they are in Flagstaff, take them to see the Nutcracker Ballet at Ardrey Auditorium Dec. 1st & 2nd or go to Theatrikos and enjoy It’s a Wonderful Life. You can buy tickets here! If they don’t like that kind of theater, The Orpheum has everything ranging from concerts, comedy, movies and more. Check out what they have lined up and get tickets for the two of you to go together. Get them passes to the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival at the Orpheum coming up in February. The festival will feature some of the best documentaries around the world and runs from Feb. 15th-18th.

The Person Who Has Everything: How are you supposed to shop for someone that literally has everything (or wants for nothing)? If you give the person who has everything one more pair of socks or another candle you might explode. So what to do? I suggest introducing them to a new hobby or something to learn that can enrich their lives. A new skill is something they’ll appreciate and thank you for later on down the road. Do they listen to a lot of music? Go beyond getting them the typical CD box set. We carry a variety of musical instruments that are great for beginners. Try a ukulele or a guitar! Just don’t forget the sheet music of their favorite songs or soundtracks. You could even buy their first music lesson for them.

What about the people who are not so musically inclined? Try a cookbook! Everyone loves to eat and everyone has a favorite meal. Buy a cookbook with some recipes you think they’d like and set aside a day for the two of you to make their favorite recipe in the book together. That’s two gifts in one.

Whether you want to do this for a significant other or for a friend they’ll appreciate spending time with you. Better still, you’ll both learn how to prepare a new meal and get to indulge in the (hopefully) delicious meal you concocted together!

 

 

 

How about for crafty people or even not so crafty people? Get a couple of your friends a book on crafts you can all learn together. Every month or so, try out your new books together, kind of like a crafter’s book club. Bookmans has books on mosaics, jewelry, candles, soaps, crocheting, carving… too many to list!

If you know someone who thinks they are uncreative, show them just how much fun trying new creative projects can be at sparking inspiration. It’s easy to inspire creativity this holiday season when you make a craft “party” instead of a chore. You’ll have so much fun figuring things out that it won’t matter if anyone is good. Everyone will be laughing and there’ll be no pressure to be perfect. Your imagination is the limit.

 

Happy gift giving this year!