7 Minimalist Holiday Gift Ideas For a Joyful Holiday

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It’s that time of year again! We’re talking about changing seasons, gatherings of loved ones - socially distanced maybe - tasty treats, old traditions, songs you don’t (usually) let yourself sing during the rest of the year. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or one of the many other holidays that occur between now and the new year, odds are good you’ve got some festive things planned.

But there’s another side of the holidays: the consumption. The pressure to buy more stuff--stuff you’re pretty sure the recipient doesn’t even really need or want, but you feel like you need to give them a gift. So much stuff. So much spending. Even the decluttering queen Marie Kondo has gotten in on it, with a new online shop selling (we kid you not) $96 ladles, among other expensive home goods. 

If you keep an eye on your favorite blogs over the next few weeks, you’ll probably see a flood of gift guides - including from us and Shop Myrth.

This isn’t that kind of gift guide.

See, here at Myrth, we’re all about encouraging you to live more intentionally, more mindfully, and more fully. We want you to live the life you want, unencumbered by mountains of stuff you don’t want and don’t use. And even though we opened both a Store and a Bookstore, we try to bring these values to our version of selling goods.

Here are 7 gift recommendations the minimalist in your life will love:

1. Time together.

   We’ve written before about the loneliness of modern life, but it’s especially significant around the holidays and especially with Covid restrictions. A lot of people are away from loved ones, and many others don’t see their loved ones often because of work commitments and crowded schedules. This holiday season, say no to busyness and make some time for the special minimalist in your life. Invite them out for a day of fun things (they don’t have to cost anything!). Go for a walk to see the holiday lights and displays, pack a thermos of hot cocoa, and spend some quality time together. Time is a gift that will always be appreciated.

2. A charitable donation on their behalf.

   We love donating to causes our loved ones care about. It helps contribute to something important to them without taking up physical space in their daily lives. It’s a way to say, “I see you, I see what you care about, and I want to help.” What a great expression of love for somebody. If you’re stumped for ideas, you can search for local organizations near your loved one to support and check them out on an accountability website like Charity Navigator. As for us? We’d love it if you supported our friends at the Sloth Appreciation Society.

3. A gift that can help consolidate items.

   Over time, the Myrth team has been converted to using e-readers. For Emma, they made sense as a way to take lots of books with her while she traveled, and with the high volume of reading she does, her home would be filled from floor to ceiling within just a couple of years if she bought hard copies for everything - see her reading list here. Lauren was a harder sell, especially since she loves the tactile experience of reading, but she was sold once she realized she could check out books from the library on her e-reader and never worry about late fees again (Lauren is, shall we say, the less organized member of the Myrth team). Whether it’s a gift that helps reduce physical clutter, like an e-reader, or a gift that helps combine several devices into one helpful thing, we’re in favor of helping your favorite minimalist 

4. An experience.

   Experiences fill the heart with joy, the mind with memories, and the living quarters with absolutely nothing. That’s why we love giving experiences as gifts. Does your minimalist have a little one? Try a zoo membership. An adrenaline junkie? Tickets for bungee jumping or zip lining would be a hit. Even during Covid we can find virtual experiences to share like a tour of a museum or a virtual concert.

5. A class that teaches them to fix things.

   Part of being a minimalist and reducing waste is making your things last as long as possible, and if you can repair your things when they break, tear, or crack, so much the better. That’s why we love bike repair classes, sewing classes, bookbinding classes, and other opportunities to learn how to fix and prolong the lives of the things we use and enjoy. The best part is many of these classes have moved online and are still available to the minimalist you love.

6. Online courses.

   If your loved minimalist is into photography, graphic design, or other digital skills, an online course would be a great option for them. Myrth team members have learned a lot from sites like Skillshare, Bluprint, Udemy, and Lynda, where vast libraries of instructional videos are made available to students at a wide range of price points.

7. Consumables.

   Does your loved minimalist enjoy tangible goodies? Sometimes, a special food or beverage is just right. It shows you’ve noticed what they enjoy eating or drinking, and it won’t sit around taking up space. We love fresh spices that are hard to get in regular grocery stores, small-batch candies, beverages with unusual flavors, and similar things. This year we are talking a lot about coffee alternatives and tea, as Lauren and Emma both don’t drink coffee.

We hope you have a joyful holiday season filled with the experiences you want most in life. 

NB: This article was originally published in December 2019 and has been updated in November 2020 to reflect the ironic launch of Shop Myrth and the not so ironic pandemic.

Got gift ideas for the minimalists you love? Please share with us below!

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