There are many ways to anticipate the arrival of Christ and to keep our hearts focused on Him-- lights, feasts, songs, service projects... and even gifts.
James 1:17 says "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."
God is the very best gift-giver. Not only did He give us His son, but also every other good and wonderful thing in our lives. He takes delight in giving good gifts to us, which is why we can find delight in giving gifts to those we love. It's a way we can reflect His image!
Here are some ideas as you start planning out your gift-lists. How can we be intentional and Jesus-focused as we love our people well?
A hostess gift is a great way to thank someone for opening up their home to you- for a holiday meal, for a party, for a place to sleep, etc!
An Aroma Candle is a perfect way to say "thank you" for just $15. It comes in a brown box ready to give as a gift-- just add a ribbon!
Additionally, you could wrap a cute tea town around the box for a little bonus and tie it up with a string. This set comes as a pack of four (making them just $4/piece). Buy one set of these + four candles and you're set for four hostess gifts under $20 each.
Other idea: Gift an art print for their home! There's a style for everyone. Let them frame it or pick up an inexpensive 8x10 frame and pop a bow on the front. I love this wooden frame that comes in a pack of two.
The littlest children don't need much (they don't even know it's Christmas). Consider a Precious Tee tucked into their stocking along with one of my favorite kid's books. I like this one, this one, or this one.
I also love the Little People Noah's Ark- Perfect for bath time stories about God. They also make a manger scene option.
Your daughter may be ready for her first Dear Mushka piece (please use your judgement- small parts can cause choking). I love The Eclipsed Sm or Verb to begin with.
Any book from this Tales that Tell the Truth series is a winner!
A pack of scripture cards made just for them could be a great thing to tuck into a stocking + encourage the goal of memorizing scripture in the New Year.
I love to gift in themes and this cozy one is so dreamy- you could even include a tag that says "for your cozy nights at home" :) This blanket is adorable and well priced (I'm grabbing one for each of my boys' beds!) Add The Temple Sweatshirt for snuggling up in and a good book.
Here and here are two blogs posts I wrote on favorite books; they'd all make a great gift!
I'd probably fold the blanket up on the bottom, stack the sweatshirt in the middle, and then set a book on top. Wrap them all together with a big ribbon. Done!
Giving to a friend or have a gift exchange to attend? I think all three of these are winners! The Promise Pack has 52 beautiful scripture cards inside that can be memorized, put around a home, or used at cards to gift to others.
Jade rollers are so on trend right now and this one is affordable (plus has tons of 5 star reviews).
The Companion Bracelets are consistently one of our best sellers, and for good reason. You get 2 for $22, which makes them just $11 a piece-- a perfect small gift price!
Men can be hard to shop for! Here are three things I've gotten for Robert in the past.
This devotion is a great way for Him to spend time in God's word every morning. This tee is cute, with an important reminder. (Match him with ours here!) And this book is a perfect way to get a little information on basically every topic in the Bible-- we reference ours all the time!
*Robert would like me to also say that tools are a good gift. Ha!
You could get your mother (or yourself ;) ) all sorts of things, but personalized jewelry is hard to beat. The Carried Bracelet comes with a verse perfect for motherhood and looks extra adorable with an added stamped initial.
The Called Necklace is a great way to keep kids or grandkids initials close by. The No. 139 Collection (available as a necklace, bracelet, or earrings) is a sweet way to honor children's birth months!
It's hard to go wrong with a Starbucks gift card for the teachers in your life. I'd pair a small gift card with The Harvest Necklace as encouragement that her hard work will result in good fruit as she continues forward (bonus points for grabbing one in her school colors!)
Additionally, you could gift her an art print to hang in the classroom or by her desk as a reminder. The Fruit of the Spirit print isn't overtly Christian, perfect to display in a public school.