I’ve got to be honest: I am gift-giving challenged.

Giving really thoughtful gifts rarely comes easy to me. It takes a lot of extra thought and energy. Maybe you can relate?

So when this time of year comes around, can I tell you one of my favorite things? Gift-giving guides. People who have taken the time to think through both practical and thoughtful gifts, and I just get to flip through and pick out some things that stand out.

Seriously so helpful!

For the first time ever, Mark and I took some time to put together our own gift guide. In addition to including our family’s favorite hot chocolate recipe (can’t wait to enjoy a few cups this year! ?), we’re breaking down great gifts for moms, dads, kids, couples, spouses, people who are hurting, people who want to change the world, and more. My hope is that this resource is as helpful to you as I’ve found gift guides in the past!

I was recently talking with my daughter-in-law, who is much more of a natural gift-giver than I am, and the conversation got my wheels turning on a few perspective shifts as we’re giving gifts this holiday season.

I wanted to share them with you:

4 Perspective Shifts for Gift-Giving

1) The gift you give doesn’t have to be something you can hold. Usually we jump to physical items like clothes, books, toys, valuables, etc. But the gift you give doesn’t need to be limited to that. You can give an event or experience. If you’re married, you can invest in an experience that will deepen your connection. You can give your time. You can give your presence or help. Or you can even give encouragement through your words.

2) Consider the love language of the person you’re purchasing a gift for. Everybody values different things! Take each person’s unique wiring and passions into consideration as you’re planning your gift for them. Just because something would be special to you doesn’t automatically mean it would impact their heart the same way!

3) The value of the gift isn’t about the monetary value. It really is about the thought behind it. This may sound cliche, but it’s so true! Something expensive isn’t always something special. It is often much more relationally valuable to give something that shows that you listen to them and know what they care about.

4) Meaningful time together is a gift this year. This, of course, depends on how we choose to show up this holiday season. But a lot of us have seen our family much less than normal over the past two years. There’s a relief of pressure when we remember that simply being together is a gift that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Laughter, memories, and conversation are gifts all on their own.

Whether you are a natural gift-giver or a little more challenged in this area, I hope there are some great reminders here. We hope you find our gift guide helpful and that you truly have a great holiday season!