Hunting for gifts is not only stressful and hard on your budget, but it’s also time- and effort-consuming. You obviously want your gift to be unique, thoughtful, interesting and, most importantly, useful, and this is especially difficult when it’s the minimalist in your life who you’re buying a gift for. However, there are ways you can show your appreciation and bring joy and excitement even to those who decisively resist material goods and go through life with extremely limited personal possessions. Below are some of the best ideas for minimalist-friendly gifts!
Let them choose 
Considering that the core idea of minimalism is to possess as few items as possible, purchasing a gift for minimalists is inherently tricky and can even be offensive to their lifestyle. And you obviously don’t want your gift to be returned or thrown away. Try suggesting your friend to set up a game-changing gift registry where people can simply pay into their account instead of browsing shopping malls and Internet pages in order to find that perfect something. It might seem odd and perhaps not as exciting as actual gift-giving, but it’s easy, practical and extremely useful in case you run out of options after a myriad of creative and thoughtful gifts.
Gift of experience
What’s particularly special about this sort of gift is the possibility of sharing it – a memory that can be more valuable than any material good. From concert tickets or a weekend in the mountains to camping or simply gifting your time and watching the sunset together, granting your loved one with an experience can be the most personalized and meaningful gift, depending, of course, on how well you know the person. In addition, this can be something that you might enjoy too.
Memberships and subscriptions
Since minimalists believe that the focus should not be on consumption or obligations but on love and support, they will appreciate your encouragement and support far more than any shiny expensive thing. Show your dear one that you listen to them, love them and believe in their aspirations. Sign them up for a cooking or dancing class or a sports competition, subscribe them to conscious-living magazines, or purchase a 3-month gym membership for them. This way, you will not only be a thoughtful giver but will also do them good by encouraging them to be active and fostering their interests and hobbies.
Charitable donation
A great number of minimalists consider the holiday gift-giving frenzy obligatory nonsense and a waste of money and thus tend to avoid it. However, you can turn this around if you transform a gift for your beloved minimalist into a gift for someone in need in their name. Look into the popular donation site Charity Navigator to find a cause that your dear one is passionate about. Gifts that give back are thoughtful, generous and impactful.
E-books
Everyone loves books, right? However, many minimalists don’t like their books getting in the way of their clear and clean interior design. Well, thanks to the lovely age of technology that we live in, voila, e-books! And if you want to go even further and it falls within the domain of your budget, consider getting them a Kindle reader and help them finish this year’s reading challenge.
Nothing
And if nothing else, gift them nothing, in electronic form, with a thoughtful message of appreciation, respect and love. Besides, it is never really about the gifts but rather the dedication, honest intentions and desire to make someone feel happy. If less is more to make this person happy and they’re content with their minimalist lifestyle, perhaps the perfect gift is truly acknowledging this and nothing else.
Minimalists are right – gift giving alone is not a hallmark of love. We spend months banging our head against the wall and trying to figure out the perfect gifts for our loved ones, when actually, all they need is our thoughts, emotion and support. Above are some great ways for how you can show these to the minimalist in your life and still embrace the gift-giving spirit.
Mia Taylor is a lifestyle blogger from Sydney and writer for www.highstylife.com. She loves writing about her life experiences. Travelling and enjoying other cultures and their food with her husband is a big part of her life. She is always on the lookout for new trends in fashion and beauty, and considers herself an expert when it comes to lifestyle tips.
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