The Christmas season is a great time to show love to those you care about, and one of the ways we show our love is through gifts.
Not all gifts are equal, though.
Some are much more meaningful than others, because some gifts do a better job of communicating “I love you” in a way the recipient can hear and understand.
Have you ever taken a person’s love language into account when selecting a gift? It might help you say “I love you” in a way that a new sweater or tech gadget never will.
The gifts that say “I love you” are not necessarily the sort we can wrap up and place under the Christmas tree, but with a little creativity you might find a way to do so. Here are a few ideas:
Give the gift of…
Acts of Service
- A coupon promising to build/make something they need or want
- A certificate for a special treat, such as a promise to cook a nice dinner for them
- A “gift card” for some service you will provide, like cleaning the garage, raking leaves, or repairing something
- A promise to join them in a ministry they are involved in
Words of Affirmation
- A framed print with one of their favorite verses or quotes
- A handwritten note telling them how much you love them
- An original poem or song that expresses your appreciation
- Give them a Christmas Day blitz by peppering the house with sticky notes proclaiming your affection. (If they don’t find some of them until days later, so much the better.)
Quality Time
- A gift certificate for you and your loved one to attend an event they will enjoy
- A gift certificate for a date night
- A coupon for a local coffee house or tea shop, where the two of you can hang out and talk
- An “appointment card” that promises the loved one a regularly scheduled time reserved to be together. For example: my husband visits his parents every Monday evening. It has become a highlight of their week. Who can you bless with a regular “appointment”?
Touch
- A coupon that entitles the bearer to a hug whenever they need one
- A gift certificate to give them a shoulder massage or foot rub
- An invitation to snuggle together on the sofa while you read to them, look at photos, or watch a movie together
- A gift certificate to go out dancing together
Gifts
- If receiving gifts is a person’s primary love language, then numerous small thoughtful gifts will probably speak louder than one big one
- A Something-of-the-Month gift will keep the gift-giving going past the Christmas season.
- Don’t wait for the big day. Hide simple small gifts on random days for your loved one to discover.
Alone Time
- A gift certificate promising your favorite introvert you will take the kids somewhere and give them several hours of solitude to work on a hobby in peace
- A pledge that you will give them time to unwind and process before you ask them questions about their day
- A gift certificate to take them to a place that feeds their soul. (A beach, a forest, an art museum…) If you don’t know, leave the destination blank.
Social Time
- A coupon that promises your favorite extrovert you will attend social events with them. (You might consider a continuing promise such as one event per week.)
- A gift certificate for you and your favorite extrovert to attend a social event together
- Surprise your favorite extrovert by throwing them a party.
Honoring their interests
No matter their personality or love language, people will feel loved when you affirm and honor their interests.
- A gift certificate to a museum, festival, art class, garden tour, sports event, or whatever you know they are passionate about. Promise to join them, even if it’s not your thing.
- A pledge that you fully support your loved one going off to pursue their hobby without you. No guilt. No keeping score. Simply a gift of time.
- A gift card to purchase supplies that support their hobby.
- A certificate promising to take them on a shopping expedition to purchase items for their hobby.
I hope these ideas will inspire you to find your own ways to give gifts that communicate “I love you” to all those you hold dear.
