Written by Hanna Dillenger, Karina Guy, Liz Heaney, Robin Hill, Brady McLamb

The consumer-focused holidays are fast approaching. As the largest shopping day, Black Friday, grows near, many people start to contemplate what to buy for the myriad of people on their gift list.

According to the Census Bureau’s monthly retail trade statistics, Americans are expected to spend about $60 billion across the Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend. In addition, Sustainablog states that over six million tons of holiday waste (think wrapping paper and gift bags) will be created this season. This year, consider taking a more simplistic and creative approach to giving gifts to the people on your list.

According to Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus (known as The Minimalists), one of the most meaningful gifts is an experience (or time together) instead of a physical object. This type of gifting illustrates the concept of minimalism, which means living more with less. Some experiences that have the potential to be gifted include a concert, a digital subscription, fitness classes, movie tickets, music, dance or art lessons, a trip to a zoo or aquarium, a membership to a museum or other historical society, a Groupon for a salt cave, a nice dinner, or even a float spa certificate or tickets to a scenic location. Memories created from these types of gifts are guaranteed to last longer than objects, and as an added plus, there is no need to store or dust them off regularly. This can reduce your clutter.

The possibilities of what qualifies as a meaningful gift are fairly extensive. Irene McHugh of “Compulsively Quirky” divides what she deems a simplistic gift into a few categories:

1. Digital gifts: subscriptions or memberships to an online website (Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc.), a Kindle, audiobook subscription.

2. Edible gifts: favorite food, candy, spices, coffee desserts.

3. Gift cards to a favorite store, restaurant or spa.

4. Handmade gifts.

5. Experiences.

6. Practical gifts: something that your loved one actually needs or needs to be replaced!

7. Gifts that smell nice: essential oils, sugar scrubs, bath bombs, lotions or potpourri.

Gifts in these categories are not quickly forgotten or thrown aside once unwrapped, and they can cut back on holiday waste. These gifts will be valued long after the holidays come and go. Giving a meaningful gift can also be more affordable. Furthermore, buying meaningful gifts, rather than buying some last-minute trinket, show people you care. During this approaching holiday shopping season, resist the temptation to impulse buy (see our previous column) and discover the joy a simple gift can bring.

These simple gifting tips can be used year-round, not just during Christmas and Hanukkah. Valentine’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and birthdays are perfect opportunities to choose simplicity and give those on your gift list something they will cherish for a lifetime.

Simplistic gift-giving truly embodies the saying, “It’s the thought that counts.”

Let us know how you are going to simplify your gift-giving this holiday season using the hashtag #EtownSimplified on Twitter, and explore other ways to simplify your life.

Stay tuned for next week’s column about the tiny house movement right here in Elizabethtown!