For many families, holiday spending adds stress to a season meant for connection. But some of the most meaningful gifts are not the ones wrapped in paper, and they don’t require shopping lists or last-minute runs to the store. They’re the moments someone sets aside for us, the conversation that wasn’t rushed, the shared experience that created a memory, the effort to show up when it mattered.
Giving the gift of time is one of the most meaningful ways we can spend this holiday season, and it may come with the added benefit of easing the financial pressure that often accompanies traditional gift giving.
Here are a few ways to give presence, not presents, this Christmas.
In This Article
- Give an Experience
- Share an Experience
- Serve Others Together
- Commit to Future Time Together
1. Give an Experience
Experiences often leave a deeper impression than physical gifts.
- Tickets to an event. A concert, play, sporting event, or community performance gives someone something to look forward to.
- Help plan a trip they’ve been hoping to take. Book a reservation, help with an itinerary, or handle a detail they’ve been putting off.
- Give an experience they can enjoy with others. If you live far away, consider a local class, workshop, or community activity they can attend with friends or family.
- A skill-building experience. Cooking classes, art workshops, dance lessons, or garden tours can spark creativity and give someone a new skill or hobby to enjoy.
These gifts create memories and offer something far more lasting than an item placed on a shelf.
2. Share an Experience
When you give your time, you give something personal and irreplaceable.
- Attend a seasonal event together. Holiday festivals, ice-skating, light tours, concerts, or local celebrations make for meaningful shared moments.
- Create something together. Baking, crafting ornaments, building a small project, or decorating for the holidays invites conversation and connection.
- Take a holiday trip together instead of exchanging gifts. Even a short weekend away can offer rest and renewed connection.
- A cozy night in. A holiday movie, a board game, a puzzle, or a quiet dinner can create space to slow down and enjoy the season.
These shared moments often become the stories families return to year after year.
3. Serve Others Together
Giving back can be a powerful way to spend time with the people you care about.
- Volunteer at a local nonprofit. Food banks, shelters, and community organizations often need extra help during the holidays.
- Adopt a family or contribute to a toy or food drive. Choosing and delivering gifts together can be as meaningful as receiving them.
- Offer your time or skills. Help someone with a project, tutor a student, assist an elderly neighbor, or provide support where your talents are needed.
- Participate in a community event. Park cleanups, charity runs, or local fundraisers can strengthen both your community and your connection to each other.
Serving together can shift the focus of the season toward gratitude and purpose.
4. Commit to Future Time Together
Sometimes the best gift is a promise to show up—not just now, but throughout the year.
- Schedule regular video calls if you live far apart. A monthly or quarterly call can keep long-distance relationships close.
- Set standing outings for the new year. Lunches, tee times, coffee dates, or regular walks create consistent touchpoints.
- Start a shared tradition. A yearly trip, a special meal, a volunteer day, or a seasonal activity can anchor your time together.
- Create a simple coupon book. Movie nights, homemade dinners, chore help, or afternoons doing something together can be redeemed throughout the year.
A commitment to future time ensures that the spirit of the season carries into the months ahead.
“Time is the one gift that doesn’t require wrapping or overspending, and it often means more than anything we could buy. Choosing presence over presents can ease the strain many families feel this time of year while creating memories that last well beyond the season.” – Diana Delaunay, Senior Branch Sales Officer
A Season for What Matters Most
The holidays remind us that the most meaningful gifts are rarely purchased—they’re experienced. Offering your time, presence, and attention can strengthen relationships, build traditions, and bring people together in ways no physical gift can match. It can also bring welcome simplicity to a season that often comes with added financial pressures.
However you celebrate, choosing to be present may be the gift others value most, and may be one that lets you enter the new year with more connection and fewer holiday expenses.
