The last few months of the year and transition into the New Year is often a time of excess, whether it’s eating too much, running from one holiday event to another, or spending too many hours shopping. It can also be a time we’re stressed about our pocketbooks, especially during this time of economic uncertainty. This year, consider simplifying the way you think about gifts. Giving more thought to your gifts—instead of dollars—can often leave an impression that lives well beyond the holiday season.

Get into Action: Give the Gift of Your Time

There may be no better way to embody the holiday spirit than by “gifting” your time. It’s also a great way to involve teenagers and children who might learn how meaningful the simplest acts can be for those on the receiving end.

As an added bonus, research shows that volunteering can boost your mental health, so it really is the gift that gives back! Here are a couple of volunteer ideas to consider:

• Check in with your local animal shelter. Many of them need volunteers to walk dogs and interact with animals to get them out of their kennels and help them develop or improve socialization skills. Some organizations may also accept youth volunteers, although they may need an accompanying adult.
• Do thoughtful acts for those isolated or in need.
• ~Consider making inexpensive but considerate and useful homeless care packages, with items like first-aid essentials and easy-open non-perishable foods.
• ~Provide meals or grocery store and restaurant gift cards to fire and police stations, your favorite veterinarian, hospital staff, and shelters.
• ~Write cards and letters to our service men and women.
• ~Shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk and help elderly or mobility-impaired neighbors with yard work or other general errands.
• ~Make video calls to friends and family you can’t visit who may be living alone or in care facilities.

Consider Great Gifts—With a Smaller Footprint

The smallest gifts can convey large messages of thoughtful consideration; in fact, sometimes that “perfect gift” that’s affordable may be one that acknowledges an individual’s passions or interests, or that cuts down on our ecological footprint. Here is a list of minimalist gift ideas that may appeal to several on your list this year:

• Earth-friendly steel water bottles.
• Canvas totes for shopping.
• Live Christmas trees, which can be planted after the holidays.
• Personal care products – Palm oil-free toothpaste, bamboo bath towels, and biodegradable soaps.
• Donation in your recipient’s name (or in honor of one of their loved ones who passed away) to a cause meaningful to them.
• Stationery made from recycled materials.
• For Jewish recipients – Hanukkah candles, all-natural honey, olive oil, and traditional spices.
• For those celebrating Kwanzaa – Kwanzaa candles, African ornaments, a Kwanzaa coloring book and crayons, Kwanzaa cookbook, African Baobab tree.

Remember, thoughtfulness stays with recipients long after the tinsel fades, so think of ways you can take a more creative approach to gift giving this holiday season. It may surprise you how much others appreciate what you’re giving—and the benefits you receive in return.