I am not saying that all minimalists live by these rules, nor am I saying that you need to, however if you are looking to have a more minimal Christmas this year, here are just a few of the guidelines I have come across that might be a good fit for you. Some minimalist YouTubers and authors use these as tools to keep their spending in check at this time of year, so they may well help with yours too.
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Birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers and weddings mean you only have to think about one or two people at most. However at Christmastime, even if you have a small family, there are still a few people you have to buy for so it’s more important at this time of year to give yourself some structure to work around. Here are a few examples:
Budget: And stick to it rigidly. Perhaps you have ten people to buy for and you only want to spend £10 on each one. If this is the case, try your very best not to stray from your budget. This top end spend will make you more intentional with what you find to keep within the parameters you have set for yourself.
Secret Santa: If you don’t have the budget, or simply don’t want to spend your time searching for gifts for lots of other people- suggest doing Secret Santa with your family. That way you will only have one person to buy for and can get them something they really want because your budget will probably be more generous.
Rhyme: Author of Have Yourself A Minimalist Christmas, Meg Nordmann uses the following rhyme when buying gifts- ‘something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read’. While I think this is a great way to cover a few different areas to ensure a variety of gifts, you could always make up your own rhyme instead and work to that. It doesn’t even have to rhyme but you may have specific categories of things you consider to be important such as books, art clothes and food.
Experiences: You may want to only give the gift of experience this year- in which case, check out of our 100 clutter free and 100 more clutter free gifts for inspiration. Memories last a lifetime so give your friends and family the gift of something they can talk about for years to come rather than something physical.
Shared experiences: To expand on this idea- why not buy a gift that includes you as well? Offer to take a person out to dinner (once the restrictions have lifted) and pay for their dishes and drinks or give them the promise of a coffee shop date where the bill is on you. A voucher to state what your intentions are shows your commitment to the gift.
No buy Christmas: Speak to people you normally buy for first and ask them what they think about a ‘no buy Christmas’ and instead donate the money you would have spent to a charity of their choice. This is a great gift for the person who has everything, so instead of looking for the one thing they might not have, make a charitable donation in their name.
An exchange of time: Time is one of the most precious things we have to offer so speak to those who share your values and suggest a time exchange. By this, I mean spend your time doing something that will benefit them and vice versa.
One example could be to use your car to pick up a real Christmas tree for a friend who doesn’t have a mode of transport and ask them to help you with some festive baking if you lack confidence in the kitchen.
Help an elderly person by getting their decorations down from the loft and they might just write a few Christmas cards for you. There are many small acts of kindness we can do for each other, especially at this time of year, which is why this makes the best gift of all.
RELATED: Seven ways to embrace a more minimalist Christmas
If you want to have a simpler, stripped back Christmas this year compared to last and the many more before them, here are just a few suggestions to keep things light and meaningful... to read more click HERE
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