What Is Your Anxiety Trying to Tell You About Your Gift-Giving Practice?

I know, gift giving can be awkward and messy. Money, values, and social norms are all tied up in this ritual. 

Can you feel anxiety tapping on your shoulder just thinking about it? Is it more like a bear hug?

“This year I’m going to try some tiny changes.” 

If you read this sentence out loud, how does it sit with you? With your anxiety?

I’m with tortoise on this one—slow and steady when it comes to rethinking gifts.

Talking about gift giving ahead of time is huge for managing expectations and anxiety. 

If you are looking for change, consider starting with ONE person this year:

“I’m trying something new. Will you join me?” 

“How about planning a walk to the lake? And we each bring the other a hot drink in a thermos?

“How about setting a $5 limit?”

“How about baking for each other?”

“How about compiling five poems for each other?”

“How about taking out a library book for each other?”

Perhaps this year is about noticing, taking stock of what is and isn’t working anymore.

You know the people in your life that very much appreciate a wrapped gift from you. But we also instinctively know that many of our gifts will be left quite forgotten after they are opened. It’s okay to rethink the giving of those, especially once we start to consider the energy and anxiety they can cost us. 

After some trial and error, my family has now settled on gifting perishables only amongst us adults. We buy each other food and in a normal year, we kindly help each other eat it. This kind of Christmas shopping is fun and straightforward.

When anxiety creeps in as you make your holiday shopping list... 

Put on the kettle. 

Make it a nice cup of hot cocoa. 

Then listen as best you can. 

When my anxiety feels accepted and listened to, she can be quite insightful.

Happy Holiday,

nina