If you struggle to find meaningful gifts for your loved ones during the holiday season, you’re not alone. In a recent online survey conducted by Ipsos eight in ten Canadians say it’s hard to come up with new gift ideas every year. In fact, 72 per cent of Canadians say that trying to find items people might like feels like a chore.
It’s not easy to find the right gift, particularly when you’re working within a tight budget. Of some of the worst gifts reported in the survey, socks were at the top of the list, followed by business ties, underwear, soap and candles. Candy and entertainment items like books or DVDs were also among the least favourite.
Ideally, Canadians say they would like to be able to spend more on charitable gifts that help those in need and make an impact well beyond the holidays.
“You can really change someone’s life with one of these gifts,” says Sarah Bartley, at World Vision , a charitable organization that helps children in need and struggling communities around the world.
“You can buy ethically-produced scarves, bracelets, Christmas ornaments, coffee, or other hand-crafted items and the proceeds go to providing a living wage for people, mostly women, who make the products—and to other programs that help kids and families in need.”
Some charities have expanded to accommodate price points as low as $10 aimed at shoppers in need of teacher gifts, stocking stuffers or gift exchanges that have a dollar limit. Other shoppers forgo the traditional route of giving tangible presents and make donations in honour of loved ones.
“When someone says they already have everything, it’s really an amazing option—particularly if it’s a cause that’s meaningful to the friend or family member,” says Bartley.
On average Canadians spend about 14 per cent of their holiday budget on charitable gifts; Millennials (18 to34) andGeneration X (35 to 54) spend 16 per cent of their budget on charitable gifts or donations, while Canadians over 55 (Baby Boomers) say they spend about 16 per cent.
When asked to choose just one gift to give a loved one this holiday, more than half say they would want to give the gift of health.
