2024 Gift Giving Guide
by 
A lady had a circle of friends for whom she really wanted to buy Christmas presents. Time slipped away and it was so busy at work for her she just wasn’t able to get to the store to purchase those gifts. Time was running out. So not too many days before Christmas she decided to give up on the gift idea and just buy everybody the same beautiful Christmas card. She went to the local gift store and hurriedly went through the now picked over stack of cards and found a box of fifty, just exactly what she wanted. She didn’t take time to read the message, she just noticed a beautiful cover on it and there was gold around it and a floral appearance on the front of the card and she thought, That’s perfect. So she signed all of them, “With all my love.” As New Year’s came and she had time to go back to two or three cards she didn’t send from that stack, she was shocked to read the message inside. It said, in a little rhyme, “This Christmas card is just to say, a little gift is on its way.”
– From Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes by Charles R. Swindoll
Oops! This lady’s Christmas shopping “shortcut” – like most shortcuts – didn’t end up saving her any time in the long run, but only prolonged the inevitable: she was now beholden to purchase gifts for her friends. (A spiritual connection could be drawn from this tale also, concerning the need to look beyond outward appearance and focus on the message within, but that truth extends beyond the scope of today’s article.) In short, entering into the holiday season without a bit of planning can result in unnecessary frustrations.
This December, I aim to reduce some of those frustrations by presenting you with your very own 2024 Gift Giving Guide. (Now, before you get too excited, this article does not include a copy of the coveted Sears Christmas Catalog. You’ll likely have to pry one of those babies out of your neighbor’s cold, dead fingers.) Today, I bring before you 5 simple steps that I hope will guide you through your Christmas list with ease. We will use the 5 W’s to help us along. Firstly, when we begin our Christmas lists, we must ask ourselves:
Who am I buying for?
- What is the age of the recipient? When buying gifts, try to avoid items that are decidedly too young or too old for the person you’re giving to. If you must lean more to one end of the spectrum, err on the side of too old…at least they can grow into it (whether in physical size or emotional maturity). We humans grow up, but we don’t grow down. Therefore, a gift that is too young is virtually useless. If you missed the window on giving a present to a certain individual before they outgrew it, simply pass it along to someone else for whom it is more age appropriate. Now keep in mind, even though there is some wiggle room regarding items a person can “grow into”, gifts that are too old can have their limits as well. (i.e. Gifting a voucher for a free oil change probably won’t make your three year old grandson’s day any more than a baby doll would enthrall your sixteen year old niece. Neither extreme is desirable.) If the recipient has outgrown your gift, on it goes to someone younger. And if the recipient is unable to enjoy the item for one year or more? Save it back for a future Christmas!
- What is the gender of the recipient? In today’s sex-confused world, it’s more important than ever for Christians to draw the line between what a male is and what he does, and what a female is and what she does. One small yet significant way you can support Biblical Gender Ethics is by giving items that are in alignment with the recipient’s assigned-before-birth gender. While certain items are undoubtedly gender neutral (snacks, cash, gift cards…to name a few), there are many other items that are (whether directly or implicitly) male-oriented or female-oriented. (I am not saying that a boy can never play with a doll, or a girl can never play with a firetruck, etc. What I am saying is that we ought to be intentional in our gift giving, so that we do not blur the lines of gender for children.) Today’s boys and girls are already being raised up in a twisted culture where men are becoming more effeminate, and women are becoming more feminist. Let’s not add to the chaos. Rather, let’s seek the good old paths where our Christmas presents help to nurture strapping young lads and sweet young lasses.
- What are the interests of the recipient? No one wants their hard-earned money or time to be poured into a present that is going to be pitched at the first opportunity. Yet that is often exactly what happens if we give without truly considering the interests of the person we’re giving to! Just because something lights us up inside, does not mean it will do the same for someone else. For example, I love reading. Receiving a beautiful volume of a lovely, wholesome book would be sure to bring a smile to my face. Yet there are others who find reading to be a disdainful chore. For them, being gifted a book would feel like an entitled teenager getting socks and undergarments for Christmas. You know: “Well, uh, okay…I guess it’s the thought that counts.” Give with an eye towards pleasing the one you are gifting to, rather than yourself. While it can be great fun to give, we should always do so with regard for our recipient’s unique hobbies and interests, rather than our own.
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! – Matthew 7:11
Secondly, when we begin our Christmas lists, we must ask ourselves:
What am I buying?
- One type of gift to give is the keepsake. This is the sort of gift the recipient can use more than once. Examples include small items such as books and journals, movies and video games, clothing and accessories, or games and puzzles; and large items such as furniture, appliances, home decor, or kitchen gadgets. Knowing the interests of the person (as we talked about in our previous point) helps to ensure that our time and money is not wasted on a gift that won’t be enjoyed. Let’s face it, your family and friends don’t want to clutter their house with items that in no way suit their individual personalities and preferences. If you’re buying someone a keepsake, make sure you first know a bit about their taste and style.
- Another type of gift to give is the perishable. These sorts of gifts are typically one-time use, or at least able to be used up in a short amount of time. Cash, gift cards, and vouchers fall into this category, as do food items. Perishable items are a great option for the recipient who is a bit of a minimalist, or for the person for whom you “just don’t know what to get” – either because they appear to have everything they need, or you simply don’t know them well enough to ascertain their interests. Three things most any family can benefit from are money, food, or gasoline. Perishable items are a foolproof way to ensure your gift will be used and appreciated.
- Yet another type of gift to give is the experience. This sort of gift is somewhat of a hybrid between the keepsake and the perishable. The experience itself is perishable, but the memories made are preserved as a keepsake. Some ideas for experiences are: travel reservations, tickets to the movie theater or a sporting event, a day at the zoo or an amusement park, music lessons, a restaurant outing, or even the offer to babysit children while their parents enjoy a date night. Such presents are great options for folks who don’t want or need any more “stuff”. A gift of experience is more personalized than cash or gift cards, but won’t clutter up your recipient’s home.
Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. – 2 Corinthians 9:7
Thirdly, when we begin our Christmas lists, we must ask ourselves:
When am I buying?
- Schedule your purchases according to sales. Stores typically mark their items down to bargain prices after the holidays…in January, when business is at an all-time low. Thus, January is the month of the bargain hunter…the prudent wife…the bonafide cheapskate! You can save a lot of money by making purchases outside of peak shopping seasons. However, one obvious downside of buying so far in advance is figuring out where to store your purchases. Depending on how many people you are buying for, Christmas gifts could easily begin cluttering up every corner of your house. Try to designate one specific area for presents: a large tote, a closet, a storage shed (hello there, adoring grandmothers everywhere!) Once that designated area starts bursting at the seams, you’ll know it’s time to pump the brakes on shopping. If you have such space to utilize for storage, shopping sales in advance rather than hunting for gifts last-minute will ensure you don’t break the bank for Christmas.
- Schedule your purchases according to your budget. Going into debt on account of the holidays is a sure way to squelch your Christmas spirit and set you up for financial failure in the New Year. A simple budgeting rule to follow for the holidays (and all year round, for that matter) is this: buy only what you can afford, when you can afford it. If brand-new items are out of your price range, second-hand is the way to go. There is no shame in the thrift game! Consignment shops around the USA are filled with quality, gently used items for a fraction of the price. I, for one, would never look down on a gift that was purchased second-hand, and chances are that your loved ones won’t either. A special word to mothers: know that your children will only benefit from seeing you exercise prudence. Teach little ones early to reject entitlement and to show gratitude for what Dad and Mom can provide for them. Your thriftiness will set a positive example for them to emulate with their own future spending habits. It’s an important life lesson: needs come first, and wants come second…even at Christmas.
- Schedule your purchases according to your time. Nothing does a frazzled wife and mother make, so much as being in a rush. Frantic, last-minute shopping sprees are detrimental not only to the pocketbook, but to your emotional well-being. You can save yourself a world of stress if you’ll only plan for the holidays before December rolls around. Gather little items here and there while you’re already out and about. Work on handmade projects during your free moments. Jot down gift ideas whenever inspiration comes to you. These are all small ways that you can avoid the panic induced mad-dash after Thanksgiving. Cultivate a spirit of generosity all throughout the year, so that you’re always on the lookout for little ways to bless others. This will level up more than just your Christmas shopping – it will elevate you as an individual when “The Christmas Spirit” is simply a part of your mindset each and every day.
Do not withhold good from whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. – Proverbs 3:27
Fourthly, when we begin our Christmas lists, we must ask ourselves:
Where am I buying?
- Support godly businesses. Whenever possible, use your money to vote “yes” for Christian values. We ought to back businesses that proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, and steer clear of businesses ran by enemies of the cross. (For example, organizations that openly promote the LGBTQ+ agenda, etc.) Realistically, we can’t boycott every business led by ungodly individuals – sometimes we have to be “in the world, but not of the world”. However, when there are multiple choices from which to fulfill our Christmas lists, why not shop at Christ-centered establishments, rather than those that are unrighteous, liberal, and “woke”? Let’s look for ways to further the Kingdom with our dollars, rather than help line the pockets of those who would love nothing more than to see our cause destroyed.
- Support local businesses. The success of your neighborhood, your city, your county, your state, your region, and your country, is your success. When you buy American-made items, you are doing your part to exercise good citizenship – you are helping maintain an independent nation with a thriving economy for yourself, your family, and your fellow Americans. Just as we should look for ways to avoid patronizing businesses that are clearly no friends of our God, we should also look for ways to minimize buying from countries that are clearly no friends of our USA. Bonus points when you can buy not only items made in your nation, but items made (or at least sold) in your own neck of the woods. Forget the big box stores, and vote “yes” for your community by gathering Christmas presents from a Mom-n-Pop shop near you.
- Support quality businesses. Exceptionalism in business is sadly becoming a lost art, as many business owners care way too much about making a buck, and way too little about customer gratification. Establishments cut corners in order to cut costs, prioritize quantity over quality, and the customers suffer for lack of skillful workmanship. How do these establishments get away with it? Because the money keeps pouring in anyway, leaving owners no incentive to change their business practices. Not enough people are frustrated enough to take their loyalty elsewhere. This Christmas, vote “yes” for quality items by shopping only at those rare establishments that produce quality products, and furthermore, practice honesty and integrity toward their clientele.
Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. – Isaiah 55:2
Fifthly and finally, when we begin our Christmas lists, we must ask ourselves:
Why am I buying?
- Do you give for Christmas because your culture dictates it? It’s easy to get sucked into doing something just because “everyone else is doing it“. No one likes to feel that they are going against the grain unless they have a good reason to do so. Since Christmas is a holiday based on gladness, goodwill, and generosity, it would appear that only the greatest stick-in-the-mud would choose not to participate in gift giving or holiday celebrations. But that’s just societal pressures talking. The Bible says it best: One person values one day over another, another values every day the same. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. (Romans 14:5) (With that being said, today’s article is meant for those who are already planning on shopping, making, or re-gifting presents for Christmas. My intent is not to add any cultural pressure myself. Christmas is both fun to celebrate and fine not to celebrate. We can rejoice, for we have Christian liberty over wee matters such as holidays!)
- Do you give for Christmas because your recipient demands it? Individuals can add just as much pressure on us to give Christmas presents as culture as a whole. There are some people that are bold enough (and rude enough) to pry: “so, what are you getting me for Christmas?” Questions such as these make us feel there is no way out…we are now locked into buying for that individual whether we had originally intended to or not. This kind of forced giving is not in tandem with the true spirit of Christmas. Instead of buying for someone out of the goodness of our own heart, we feel compelled to buy for them – only because we lack the courage to tell them that an outstretched hand is impolite and unbecoming. Don’t cave to pressure! Gently tell the person that you’d rather surprise them at random than under expectations regarding the 25th of December. (I know, easier said than done, but it might just help both of you with boundaries. You, to keep them. Them, not to break them.)
- Do you give for Christmas because your heart desires it? This is the ideal spirit of Christmas. One might say that Christmas is about giving, and that is true to an extent. However, at the very heart of things, Christmas is really about generosity. What’s the difference between giving and generosity? Giving is an outward action of the hands, while generosity is an internal virtue of the heart. All truly generous people give, but not all people who give are truly generous. Some give out of compulsion, some give in order to receive, and some give in order to be recognized. The generous person gives not because they feel they must, but because they have themselves been blessed and want to be a blessing to others. The generous person gives not with expectations or strings attached, but with a desire to bring cheer to their recipient. The generous person gives not to be seen, but because they want another to feel seen. If you aim to give this Christmas, be sure to do so out of true generosity.
Please take my gift which has been brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me and because I have plenty. – Genesis 33:11a
In conclusion…
When Christmas shopping this year, remember to follow your 2024 Gift Giving Guide!
Take the stress out of the holiday season by simply asking yourself these 5 questions:
Who am I buying for? (Give according to the age, gender, and interests of your recipient)
What am I buying? (Choose wisely between gifts that are keepsakes, perishables, or experiences)
When I am buying? (Plan shopping trips according to store sales, your own budget, and your own time)
Where am I buying? (Support godly businesses, support local businesses, and support quality businesses)
Why am I buying? (Be sure it’s your heart’s desire, and not merely cultural dictates or recipient demands)
Happy gifting, Damsels! Have yourselves a merry little Christmas, and let your hearts be light.
It was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! – Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
For God’s glory,
Mrs. Dustin Bolks
Chaste Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.
