Intangible gift tips and ideas

I used to be so caught up in the commodity culture that it didn't even occur to me to give something other than stuff as a gift. It's understandable, really, because from a very young age we learn to associate holidays and anniversaries with gifts of stuff. Skills are acquired through practice, so as year after year of giving and receiving stuff becomes the norm. Ruuhkaton lists intangible gift tips and craft ideas in this article to help you think of non-tangible gifts.

You can learn to get rid of old habits. Equally, new, more sustainable consumption habits can be introduced into your own and your children's system through conscious practice, time after time, year after year. You can question your own and others' thinking: what is a good gift or what should a gift be?

My challenge to all of us who influence the lives of little people: instead of giving a gift, give your child time, experiences, space and experiences. I wrote about it recently. how many toys a child needs for quality play. In this light, most children already have too many toys (=supplies). They get in the way of play.

In this article, I list 20 non-material gift tips and Christmas experiences to help you reduce your gift basket. These tips have been put together with children in mind, but adult gift recipients are sure to enjoy them too. They can be applied regardless of the season by changing the content of what you do to suit the time of year or the season.

Don't give up if your loved ones don't have the time at first, or if they don't join the intangible gifts team with a squeal of delight. Be persistent. Remember, it takes time to get used to the idea, so well are we inculcated with the orthodoxy of the material gift.

Ruuhkattoman Intangible gift tips and wooden ideas instead of gifts of goods

Instead of a quick dopamine rush, intangible gifts offer a longer-lasting promise of fun. They also force us to wait, which is no longer a skill we take for granted in modern times.

1. Amusement park or indoor playground gift card

The amusement park or indoor playground in your hometown will not leave the recipient cold, but the experience that comes with the gift will be in the forefront of their mind. Amusement parks and playgrounds are cool, so this gift will also appeal to adults in the family.

If you're not sure whether the recipient likes the property in question, you can ask in advance. Some are more thrill-seekers than others. Every village and town usually has a place where you can buy a gift voucher.

2. A game trip together

Is the recipient a fan of a team? Buy a season ticket, season tickets, or give your time as a gift by going along with a friend to cheer on a favourite team. Getting to know your favourite sport is a fun time for both of you.

Almost every village has its own pride and joy to play together. You can also customise the gift by first going to the sport in question and then taking the team to the fans' stand.

3. Go swimming, skating, skiing or sledging

Taking your children out for sport is a gift of hope for any parent of a lively child, as it gives your offspring energy-consuming activities and fond memories.

If you're not ready to volunteer to supervise the trip, a gift voucher for a swimming pool or swimming school is a great gift anyway. This tip is almost intangible, but you will need equipment depending on the sport.

4. To the café for a bottle

You can adapt this to your own living environment and have a coffee or lunch together. Such a gift will broaden the recipient's mind and provide refreshment. An ice cream outing with a grandparent or godparent can be the highlight of the summer.

And note, the Christmas gift of making may well be delayed until the summer! This is where it's critical to remember to keep your promise. Practicing waiting is good for both the bigger and smaller minds.

5. Into nature for a campfire

If you're a nature lover yourself, this is the perfect gift for both young adventurers and children of families who love city adventures.

You can also start in a nearby park, if the threshold for going to a primeval forest is high. You can pack a lunch of your choice and choose a route of a suitable length. It's the journey (and the wildlife sightings) that matter, not the destination.

6. Gingerbread Walk

Last year, we agreed with the adults close to the child that we would have a gingerbread house party. We really needed the help to put up a house with three lively children.

One guest star held the house glue and the other led the decorating, while we tried to guide the children. It was a fun evening and these gnomes will be remembered with fondness for years to come.

7. Spruce bark beetle

The children's grandparents invented this tradition a few years ago and we have been looking forward to it all autumn. Unfortunately, the flu season threatens to scupper the plan. This or any other joint decorating session or preparation for the celebration is a tradition worth cherishing.

You can give the gift of a bouquet by inviting the decorators to visit or by suggesting a joint decorating session at the recipient's home.

8. Card-making session

Many children enjoy craft time, but parents may not always be able to cope with the intensity that crafting requires. It can take up to 100 %, especially if the little ones are using scissors, glue or decorations that are spread around.

Providing a crafting moment is pretty hard currency in the gift market for both adults and children. You can customise your gift by buying materials or inventing a craft that suits your own skills, one that you enjoy making yourself.

9. Game night

You can donate a game night to your own or the recipient's home, maybe even invite them to a cottage or family club to play.

Again, the greatest gift is the gift of presence to the child through a shared experience. These moments massage our brains and the emotional experience lasts for a long time. The difficulty level of the game should be set at a level appropriate to the age of the child.

10. castle gables

This gift can be made with the recipient's own toys, such as Lego (read more in a previous article). Style and outcome don't matter so much, the important thing is to give undivided attention and together build the world's finest castle, farm or sailboat.

Finally, you can celebrate with gables and take pictures of the world's greatest structure for posterity.

11. A crash course in baking or crochet

Teach your child a skill you enjoy, such as skiing, crocheting or baking. This gift tip is a great way to give your child the gift of time, as skills are rarely learned in one go.

You can also do this by buying a skills course for yourself and your child. For example Taito-Pirkanmaa organise many courses also suitable for children.

12. Leffailta

A movie night to suit all tastes. This tip can be given as a gift in the form of tickets or as a movie gift, either at the cinema or at home. A good picnic, getting in the mood beforehand, thinking about the film together and choosing carefully are all part of the experience.

13. A visit to the library

Definitely one of the most underrated, but most memorable gifts is a visit to the library. You need the gift giver to share the experience, and this is also a great opportunity to discuss your interests through books.

You can read to your child in the library and you don't have to borrow anything. Many libraries nowadays also have a small play area, which in itself is a great experience for the child.

14. Museum visit

Finland is the promised land of museums. Even this tip can be done for free if the excursion is to a free admission museum. For a child, the local shop or doll's house is a wonderful place.

Museum card can be bought by a well-known museum lover, allowing you to enjoy museum visits all year round. From the Museums.fi website you will find direct tips on museums suitable for children.

15. Art exhibition

At their best, children can enjoy art deeply and make fun connections. Lower your expectations to a suitable low and take your little one to see art, or buy a ticket to an art exhibition as a gift.

16. Theatre trip

I still remember the train journey to the Seinäjoki City Theatre's performance of Rölli. A puppet show or an adventure to the theatre for a children's show is an exciting journey of discovery for the bravest.

Teatterimatka.fi lists what theatres have to offer for children.

17. An adventurer's train or boat trip

Buy tickets for a train, boat or even a tram and have an adventure in a new place! The destination doesn't have to be fancy - the whole idea is the journey itself.

Is there a fun day trip nearby? Buy tickets or even ride your bike, it's all about being together and seeing the changing scenery.

18. The most beautiful Christmas carols or a concert experience

For many people, getting ready for Christmas already involves an experience, such as listening to the most beautiful Christmas carols performed by a choir. Check out what's on offer locally and suggest an experience for a child or a friend.

If carols don't do it for you, take your child to a concert. Age-appropriate concerts take place every few months in larger cities and at least in summer in smaller towns.

19. Summer camp gift card

This gift idea is especially valuable for parents with young primary school children. Every spring, my worry is figuring out how the kids will spend their holidays when the adults should be at work. Camps are a favourite for many children, but again, it's worth asking about the recipient's preferences.

Write a camp gift card on a piece of paper and give it as a present! You can also leave the destination open, allowing the family to decide on a more specific destination, but you can give an exact amount or money in an envelope with the camp idea.

20. Clean cash

Some people have strong feelings about giving money, so you can also ask about this in advance. If you know that the recipient has asked for cash, you can feel good about giving money.

One of my children is annoyed with the tooth fairy (our common toy) when she brings money. He would rather have candy. We have had some good discussions about why the tooth fairy is implementing this concept of his. With money, everyone can buy the gifts they want.

+bonus: consumable cosmetics, toiletries or a hamper

These are on many people's wish lists and it makes sense to buy consumable gifts if you're going to buy them anyway. Again, I would check with the recipient's family and friends to ascertain any restrictions and preferences: can the recipient use the foods or products in question, or are they potentially allergenic?

Many cosmetics and toiletries can be allergenic, and it's disappointing if you weren't aware of this. Some people are also attached to certain products, making other brands easy to miss. In this sense, a gift voucher is an easier and more ecological solution.

Update to the article: don't order cosmetics as gifts from outside the EU (e.g. online shops). If the product arrives from outside the EU, there is no guarantee of product safety. Some of these products have been found to contain heavy metals and toxic ingredients.

Intangible gift tips and craft ideas put etiquette to the test

For some, giving a gift voucher or your own time feels strange. It can feel impersonal and even rash.

I myself have spent countless moments on this topic, thinking about gifts for my children's friends. We've usually asked for wishes too. Often, when we've thought about it with the child, we've ended up with a gift card from a local store, which has made its way onto many people's wish lists these days.

I know that a gift card may not feel like such a joyful gift, at least not to the person giving it. Cute stuffed animals or colourful toys are also likely to raise more dopamine in a child's brain than an abstract promise inside a card, but a primary school-aged child can already perceive the benefits of a gift card. Even a younger one, with the help of adults.

I am convinced that this solution works when you look at it from several angles. With a gift card, the recipient buys exactly what he wants. I hope it is something he has been longing for for a while.

We are now in a kind of hybrid model, where the number of gifts has decreased, but we still receive and give them. However, I feel it is important to speak up for experiences and offer them as alternative gifts.

At best, a child will remember a fun day or a shared experience for the rest of his or her life, while most memories of gifts fade. Intangible gift tips and craft ideas can at least help to shape your own perceptions. Only verbalised beliefs can be shaped. Let's work together to make our gift culture more sustainable, one gift at a time.

What has been your best gift of a lifetime?