The reaction from a dear friend when you surprise them with the gift of a dark sea salt chocolate bar and a unique hand lotion for their birthday is heartwarming.
It honestly does feel better to give than receive.
We have a lot on our minds and ‘to do’ lists on a daily basis. We’re trying to simplify and create strategic processes for managing our days. Giving gifts and sending cards are essential pieces of maintaining friendships and connections. We don’t want to feel burdened or overwhelmed by the gesture.
Let’s talk about three ways we can strategically manage a routine around giving gifts and sending cards. Ideally, this will help alleviate some of the stressors of forgetting a critical gift and help you create a rhythm around the gift-giving process.
Note birthdays, anniversaries, other important dates in your paper or e-calendar.
Decide what method of tracking works best for you. Do you use a paper planner or an e-calendar? Whichever process works best for you try to keep up with tracking birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events in your calendar.
It’s also nice to note birthdays or events which you won’t necessarily send a card or gift, but want to remember and acknowledge.
Keep cards and gifts on-hand.
When you’re shopping pick up cards and small gifts to keep in stock. It’s important to note this doesn’t have to require a special trip to many stores – grocery stores and the pharmacy – where you may be anyway – are great places to pick up a few things here and there.
This comes in especially helpful when you need a birthday card for the next morning and realize this at 9 p.m. the night before (hopefully with this guide you won’t find yourself in this predicament!).
Create a small box of cards, return address labels, postage, and other stationery (such as thank you notes). Keep this in a convenient location so you can always grab it to write a quick thank you note or birthday card.
Keep a tote for gifts. It’s helpful to go through this every so often, so you know what you have. This is a good practice at the beginning of each month when you are coordinating the gifts you will give that month.
Ideas of gifts to keep in your tote:
- small toys for children – bubbles, chalk, games
- hand lotion, soaps
- chocolates, candies, mints
- hand towels
- coffee gift cards ($5 or so as small thank you items)
Spend one block of time preparing gifts for the month.
Create a routine at the beginning of each month to prepare cards and gifts for the upcoming month. Quickly review what cards and gifts you already have in your stash and note who you will need to buy something for.
Includes any holidays or events at school, work, etc. where you may want to give a gift. For instance, a thank you or holiday gift for teachers or preparing Easter baskets for your children.
Reference your gift ideas list from your phone or planner.
Set aside all the cards you need to mail and work on addressing, stamping, and writing them. It may even help to write a sticky note with the date each card needs to be sent and put it on top of each card. Keep those cards in a stack where you’ll see them and mail them.
Wrap and set aside any gifts for that month (i.e., for birthday parties). This helps alleviate the stress of trying to find gift wrap the night before.
If you need to purchase or make any gifts or cards create a list and set aside a time to then prepare those gifts after you’ve made your initial monthly ‘gift routine.’
Keep in mind these ideas are workable in any budget. Gifts and cards can be handmade or purchased at any price point. Frequently I will save my children’s large paintings from school and use them as gift wrap.
These strategies are fluid and adaptable to what works best in your real-life. Creating a routine around giving gifts is a way to add structure to what might be an otherwise stressful reoccurring situation.
