Mindful Gift Giving: Choosing Meaning over Convenience

Gift giving is an expression of love; an act of thoughtfulness from you to a person in your life. It's even technically acknowledged as one of the five main love languages, alongside acts of service, quality time, words of affirmation, and physical touch. 

With the holidays around the corner, I’m trying to remind myself of the value of buying gifts locally, from vendors who put their heart into their craft. (FYI I do realize some gift giving is not all that romantic, sometimes you're buying for your coworker you've never talked to because of the office secret santa). Regardless of the relationship tie, humans deserve to be thought about! Gift giving is a process that starts in your mind, you ponder, “What would this person like? What are their hobbies? What item would put a smile on their face?” Really, it's beautiful. 

Then the process is continued with the act of buying (or creating). This holiday season, I encourage you to lean into the holistic aspect of giving by purchasing gifts locally - contemplate the person playfully, select  items intentionally, and support your community while you're doing it.  I realize that living in the era of Amazon makes this difficult –it's undoubtedly hard to resist the urge to order online and see it on your door step almost instantaneously – and there’s no shame in that, we’re all doing our best. 

However, while it may be a couple extra dollars or steps of physical exertion to buy locally, it's money going into the pockets of real life humans, whose passion is likely responsible for the product you choose. Zip up your coat, explore shops with an open mind, chat with the vendors, lean into the experience! Whether it be a piece of jewelry, clothing, or a trinket of the sorts…doesn't it always feel better to know your purchase is simultaneously supporting someone’s aspirations? Buying locally is like eating your mom’s chocolate chip cookies - they always taste a little bit better because they were made with love! 

At the end of the day, gift giving is an act of selflessness, so much more than the product itself. It starts with a thought, continues with a purchase, and ends in a smile (hopefully). So, please, ponder mindfully, choose thoughtfully, give selflessly, and most importantly, shop locally! :) 

With love,
Bridget 

TOTEM Boutique