~ Caring Gifts Are Meaningful Gifts ~

If you are scratching your head wondering what gifts to get the people you care about, consider giving something far more meaningful than an item off a store shelf. Give the gift of yourself.

There is nothing more precious than giving of your time, your compassion, your skills & knowledge, and your attention.

Here is a list of 14 caring gifts to get you inspired.

Give your time

• Offer to house sit or pet sit
• Offer to help clean or organize
• Offer to help with paperwork or errands
• Set up a schedule of times you will spend together

Give your compassion

• Make donation to a charity in the recipient’s name
• Volunteer to help a charitable organization the recipient cares about

Give your skills and knowledge

• Make a cookbook of recipes of recipient’s favorite foods
• Make a scrap book of things that reflect important moments in your relationship
• Bake or cook something special
• Give something you created by hand or raised yourself – a scarf, a cake, a plant, herbs, etc.
• Offer to tutor or give lessons

Give your attention

• Set up a visit for you to go together to a free or low cost event or locale  – a fair, a museum, a park, etc.
• Make an audio recording of you reading a favorite book or set of poems
• Make a personalized game – a scavenger hunt, a trivia quiz, a board game, or a puzzle

Are you a Teacher or Parent?

Consider having your students and children make coupon books to give as gifts.

Here is a link to free coupon templates https://www.template.net/deals-coupons/homemade-coupon/

or use this TPN orginal Caring Gift Coupon template

Directions:

1. Use the templates suggested or have students measure out their own strips of paper. (A great way to integrate math learning into this activity)
2. Fill out the coupons. – Students can decide on a time or number of hours or days they will offer a gift of their time, energy, skills, or caring.
3. Decorate creatively using crayons, markers, and/or colored pencils.
4. Cut them out.
5. Make a front and back cover from colorful paper and decoratively write the name of the recipient on it.
6. Then staple or punch a hole in the end and tie the booklet together using ribbon or yarn.

More on caring gifts from Teach Peace Now:

Books about Gift Giving 

Gift Giving in a Season of Buying 

Simple Kindness

What is your favorite gift to receive?

We welcome your thoughts and comments.