I have long been a person who felt that every birthday, bridal shower, Christmas, and housewarming gift needs to be unique.  Always trying to come up with unique gifts for every person and every situation left me feeling frustrated.   I would walk into a store and come out with a gift that I felt lacked creativity, thoughtfulness or was just too boring.  Because of that, I have labeled myself as a poor gift giver and I dreaded all occasions which involved gift giving. 

However, as I look back at the gifts I have received, I have begun to realize that although creative and unique gifts are wonderful, I also greatly value gifts that are consistent: the quilt that grandma made for each grand-child, the call every birthday from a church leader, the homemade birthday cheesecake from mom…these sentiments have always engendered feelings of love, security, comfort and endearment.

So, being the formulaic person that I am, I asked myself “why can’t I come up with a few ideas that will make gift-giving more automatic and less stressful?”  Here are a few of my ideas.  Hopefully, they can assist you too.

•    Cash or check for a predictable dollar amount.  My grandma always used to send us $5 for all of our birthdays—it was fun to know ahead of time that we would be getting some fun money and be able to plan what we would do with it.

•    A homemade craft or food.   Maybe you are particularly good at making something.  Don’t think it has to be different every year or for every person.  You might get bored of making it, but chances are that your recipients won’t get tired of receiving it.  One of my sisters in law makes pillowcases for my daughters and they look forward to getting a new look for their beds.

•    An item that you find useful or special.  For baby showers, my sister always goes to a good store and buys one cute Sunday outfit.  She says it is always a big hit and she doesn’t have to stress over what to get for the new baby.  You can ask yourself what gift you received at your wedding that has been the most useful or most special and then make it a tradition to always give that thing or that type of thing for weddings.

•    A predictable thoughtful gesture.  It is always nice to receive a card or a phone call on a special day just so you know someone is thinking of you.  If you are consistent about it, it makes it even more special.

•    Unusual occasion gifts.  Maybe you can make it a tradition to give a safety kit any time a teenager gets their first car, or perhaps you take a child on an ice-cream outing after they get shots, or bring a special treat to friends in the hospital.  Such special little traditions create a sense of stability and predictability that are like an anchor in this chaotic world.

There are lots of gift-giving ideas out there and there are so many different occasions to give.  Don’t feel overwhelmed, just try some little thing and be consistent about it.  Have fun!