Simple living minimalism challenge Day 5: non-material gifts

     So if you've been following along, maybe you've gotten to the point where you're ready to declutter and get rid of excess stuff you don't need. Maybe you've straightened out your home and you're enjoying the free feeling of owning less unnecessary stuff. You've streamlined all your digital photos, music, apps, and movies to only what adds value, letting go of what doesn't add value nor bring you joy anymore. So where do you go from here when it comes to people getting you gifts for birthdays, Mother's or Father's Day, and especially at Christmas or other major holiday you celebrate?
Here's some ideas to help you come up with a list of non-material gifts so you're ready with a good answer when people ask, "What do you want for _____________ (insert occasion)?"  On the list are experiences that especially when shared with someone you care about, becomes better than any physical gift. It also doesn't need to take up space, be washed, dusted, nor cleaned, and doesn't lose value as time goes by. By the way, if you truly believe excess stuff is pointless, you may choose to make this YOUR gift-giving list when it's time for YOU to buy a present for someone you love.

1.  Tickets to theatre, a concert, a show, a movie, an event, the possibilities can be endless if you happen to live near a large city. As an example, in one large city there's a performance of Little Shop of Horrors, a show with The Fab Four Beatles cover band coming up, a local symphony playing the music of the 50th Anniversary album, Sargent Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, another symphony playing the music of Pink Floyd, a performance of Man of La Mancha, Eseveral movie theaters nearby, several casinos all with a special stage for cover bands, a local baseball field and football field that host events year round in the off-season. There's also multiple sporting events to attend since most areas have baseball, hockey, football, soccer, basketball, and other sports within a reasonable distance.

2.  Gift cards.

     Although I don't believe in random, mindless shopping, but I do know that there are times we will need "stuff". It may be to fix something around the house, or to replace clothes, purses, wallets, or socks that wear out and no long bring you value or joy, or something else you would intentionally purchase in the future. It's doesn't make sense to hold onto something "just in case", but it does make sense to buy things "when - in case" (or something similar as the Minimalists would say). I think their example was buying toilet paper in bulk. You will need it, you won't stop using it, so it's okay to keep a few spare rolls around the house if it's cheaper that way.
     Gift cards for restaurants are also great ideas for a free dinner out for two people to get away for a few hours together. What a great idea for that young couple you know. You could offer to babysit and send them out on a much needed and long overdue date night.

3.  Memberships.

     I love having memberships to local places. It gives me the freedom to "get away" for a few hours if I need to, or a place to bring a friend/relative who hasn't been there before, with no cost for a year. Some great membership ideas could be for a zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, arboretum, science center, or to be more practical, if you know someone who has a larger family and you know they shop at a Costco or Sam's Club, paying those membership dues for them could be a huge savings to them, especially if money's tight. Another membership idea could be a membership to something they love, like Amazon Prime, Hulu, or Netflix. That would bring entertainment to them without having to accumulate more stuff.

4.  Museum memberships.  In your area, you may be lucky enough to have a large museum, like an art museum, where you can buy or receive a yearly membership. If not, many smaller towns (even ones so small it's technically a village) have a local museum. Many of these are history museums that exhibit things relevant to that area, state, or culture. Yearly memberships for those are a great gift. You get to find out things about the area you never would have known otherwise. One "village" I know of has a local museum that says it used to be one of the biggest towns in the area back at the turn of the centuries, with 6 banks among other things. Now it's registered as a ghost town. Who knew?
                                                                                                                    

5.  Fun experiences to share with someone else -

like for example, a painting class where they give you all the materials, a glass of wine, let you bring your own bottle of wine, and they give you instruction to complete a pre-chosen picture of your choice.
     There's also dance classes, like country line dancing, ballroom dancing, or salsa classes, to name a few. There's Zumba, yoga, and other exercise classes. There's also massages, manicures, pedicures, painting pottery, skydiving, off road adventures, jeep tours, trolley rides, deep sea fishing, whale watches, swimming with dolphins, a shooting range day out (they provide everything on site, even safety classes).

6.  A staycation weekend getaway - some places have great off-season deals. When I got married we went to a ski resort after memorial day and it was beautiful, the lake in the town center was pretty, the grass and flowers were all in bloom, the stores were open, and we didn't have to track snow around and wear bulky layers of clothes just to go outside. Also, some beach places are absolutely gorgeous around Christmas time. Check out the prices online for places you can drive to, and look at how much the prices drop in the off-season. A weekend 2 night getaway may be cheaper than a single night in the high volume season. A quick little private getaway for two people can be great, even if it's not a couple. Two best friends kicking back in a different area like camping and sitting around a firepit, or enjoying a relaxing afternoon on the deck of a beach house, can make it much easier to unwind than yet another weekend spent sitting on the couch waiting for the television to entertain you.

     So as you can see, there are some great experiences and non-material gifts to be given and received that can fit your new minimalist lifestyle. The memories are better than anything you could buy and sit on a bookcase shelf. Be creative. If you come up with some more ideas, comment below. I'd love to add them to the list!!!