Holiday Gift Guide for Older Adults

The holiday season is upon us! With December well underway and the snow already falling, now’s the time to start holiday shopping. While the holidays are a time of joy, tradition and connection, they can also be very stressful. Gift giving is not always easy, so we pooled a few resources together to help lighten the load.

Setting a Holiday Shopping Budget
The buying habits of Americans have changed drastically over the pandemic, with shoppers spending incrementally more each winter. Sales for the 2022 holiday season are estimated to be around $945 billion, far eclipsing last year’s record-breaking season of $886 billion in holiday spending.

Even if everyone else is spending more, the holidays shouldn’t break the bank. An easy way to stay on top of spending is to set a budget beforehand. Experts recommend spending no more than 1% of annual income on holiday gifts. If annual earnings are around $50,000, then $500 is a reasonable gift budget. If money is tight and that number is unrealistic, then choose a more reasonable amount. There are many gift ideas for $20 or less listed below.

Be a Hero: Shop Local
Shop Local is not just a fancy catchphrase; it’s a powerful movement to protect the small businesses of the world. Shop local ensures that Seattle’s thriving community of artists and makers remains supported. You may buy from Amazon, but you’ll sleep better at night knowing you’ve given back to your community.

Seattle is home to many unique small businesses and skilled artisans. We compiled a variety of gift guides that highlight Seattle’s most exclusive offerings.

Seattle Refined released an excellent holiday guide with gift ideas for under $20. This includes Cougar Gold white cheddar cheese, recycled headbands, and local spirits made by Sandstone Spirits. Another great way to shop local is to visit any Made in Washington store. Made in Washington retail stores include items that are- you guessed it- made only in Washington. Lastly, Seattle Met released their own local guide for shopping the 2022 holiday season.

How To Support Women and Minority Businesses
If you want to support women and minority-run businesses, we have plenty of resources just for that. Sugarbird Marketing has composed a list of all female-owned businesses in the Seattle area. Seattle Good has a list of Black-owned businesses in the community, and the Bottom Line blog has created a great list of native-owned and indigenous businesses. Let’s get shopping!

Thinking Outside the Gift Box
It’s important to remember that gifts don’t always have to be about money. For the person who has everything, try gifting an experience, activity, tickets to an event, something homemade or something that gives back.

A gift that is unique to the recipient reflects thoughtfulness and consideration on your part. Let this holiday season be your opportunity to think outside the box to find that special something for that special someone. Other gift options to consider include an activity for the future, tickets or passes to an upcoming event, monthly or yearly subscriptions services or donations to local charities.

DIY (Do It Yourself) Christmas gifts can be very meaningful because they were made from the heart. The time and effort that goes into making something special is often felt by the recipient. There are plenty of crafting ideas to choose from, including a personalized photo holder, a boot pin cushion, and notions ornaments. Country Living has a great list of 101 DIY holiday gifts that are fun to make and a delight to receive.

Non-Stuff Gift Ideas
The magic of the season comes from connecting with others, not just gifts. Spending time with friends and family is the highlight of any winter break, enjoying downtime to connect with those we love. A great resource to find upcoming local events in the Seattle area is Eventbrite.com. They post thousands of events in a variety of categories, formalities and price ranges.

There are many gift ideas that don’t add clutter to your home, including consumable gifts. Consumable, or useful gifts, are a nice way to show you care without gifting another tchotchke. Sharing a meal or attending an event together can create memories that last a lifetime. For a list of non-materialistic gifts check out this list by Almost Zero Waste.

Special Gifts for Older Adults
As if we haven’t given you enough lists already- here’s one more. We all know that seniors are some of the most special people on the planet, and they deserve special love this time of year.

This holiday guide by Senior Safety Review includes an EZ jar opener, light-up magnifying glasses, fall resistant slippers and motion sensor wall lights.

If you need a little extra help staying organized during the shopping season, try our free Holiday Gift Guide Tracker to keep track of who you’ve purchased for. Click below to download for free- it even includes a wrapping checklist! Era’s Gift Guide Tracker

From everyone at Era Living, we wish you a bright and beautiful holiday season filled with peace, love and harmony. Happy Holidays to you and yours!