I’ll be honest - not every gift recipient will love this idea. So, be discerning, and know your gift receiver!

Do you have a parent who is trying to downsize and doesn’t want or need anything new? Do you have the person on your list who is THE hardest person to buy for? Do you have people on your list that you want to give a gift to (perhaps as a thank you), but you just don’t know them well enough to know what to buy?

One option is to integrate your gift giving with supporting a nonprofit organization. Here are some ideas of how you can both help an organization doing good work and provide a unique gift:

• Buy two tickets to an event, a show, an exhibit, or a speaker of a nonprofit. You can provide this to a couple (you might need to coordinate dates in the process) or take someone as your guest. This is particularly lovely if the gift receiver is isolated, lonely, or is without transportation. 

• Buy two tickets to a nonprofit’s fundraiser and take someone who cares about the cause.

• Purchase items off a nonprofit’s website. I have purchased art, note cards, journals, clothing, jewelry, and many other things. This may not be an option with all nonprofits, but it will be with many.

• Sponsor an event of a nonprofit that supports a cause of importance to your family in your family’s name. You get to say something great about your family (usually in their event book or on social media) while helping a cause you all care about.

• Plan a volunteer day together with your family or a group of friends. Do all the planning and organizing. Experience something lovely together.

• Donate in their name to a cause THEY care about. (It is less appreciated if it is a cause of your own that they may not be invested in.)

Integrating nonprofits into your gift giving strategy allows for creative and unique gifts and supports the nonprofits doing great work in your community.

I wish you and your loved ones a beautiful holiday season. And I wish for my many nonprofit clients much generosity to your cause in the months ahead.