When was the last time you received a gift? Did it light you up? Surprise you? Make you feel loved?
The act of gift-giving has long been woven into different cultures and periods of history around the globe, a common thread of ritual that is symbolic of relation-making, appreciation and respect. For some of us, it’s our dominant love language, the way we like to give or receive love. The psychology of why gift-giving is so rewarding is simple, it allows us to connect with one another. An ancient practice of showing each other how we feel, it’s a core part of our societal structure that is here to stay.
But sometimes it can be easy to get so caught up in the gift itself - the pressure of finding something perfect for that special person or perhaps trying to be grateful for something given to you that you could really have done without - that we forget why we are actually giving.
With Black Friday and the season of silly right around the corner it feels like the perfect moment to remind each other that sometimes the most impactful gifts are the ‘little-big gifts’ that life gives to us. The ones that may seem ‘small’ or ‘homemade’, ‘inexpensive’ or even taken for granted - love, breath, life - these are what truly matter.
Let’s try to gift mindfully this year. To others, to ourselves, and with the reminder that it’s all just magic, the fact that we get to be here, alive, spending time with our loved ones and making memories. But it’s also fun to give gifts, it can be exciting and rewarding. One study we read even found that the joy and elation of giving a gift lasted longer than the fleeting pleasure of accepting a gift.
In the spirit of giving, we have collated 12 things that we think would make wonderful, thoughtful and sustainable presents this year, both for the loved ones in your life and some gifts you can even give to yourself. It's the Aro Ha version of Black Friday. Green Friday. Enjoy.
1. Home-Made Bliss
Does anything show love better than a homemade treat? There's something special about receiving a gift you know has taken time, energy and love to create.
We love gifting these Mood Food Bliss Balls, full of goodness that will have the receiver smiling long after they've been devoured. Package them in a cute jar with a bow and you've got yourself a wonderful present!
2. The Gift of Movement
The gift of being able to move our bodies is one we are all guilty of forgetting about, or neglecting. How good does it feel to have a big stretch, to walk along the beach, to play a game with our children? If you're lucky enough to be in a body that can move, then do it! If you can, you must. Have a boogie, climb the stairs, stretch it out, be grateful for that wonderful body of yours and notice how it thanks you back for showing it the gift of movement.
3. Say Thanks To Your Skin
Give your skin the love it deserves. Choosing natural, plant-based products is one of the best ways to nourish your skin. As one of your largest organs, the skin absorbs whatever we expose it to (including toxins). We're big fans of ethically made RAAIE Skincare, which utilises New Zealand botanicals to create antioxidant-rich products. Packaged in beautiful sustainable bottles, RAAIE is a great way to treat yourself or a loved one.
4. Nourishing Recipes
Discover the science behind living longer and taking care of the planet through your diet. Nutritionist and foodie Simon Hill walks us through how a plant-based diet is the key to sustainable wellbeing in his book, The Proof is in the Plants. A great read, we have this in the Aro Ha library. The perfect gift to inspire a loved one to make those wholefood changes this coming year.
5. Realise and Revitalise
Experience the transformative power of a world-class retreat from your own home. From the creators of Aro Ha comes Realise Retreats, a 3-day online experience fusing movement, nutrition, meditation, breathwork, mindfulness and more, all guided by well-regarded wellness experts. Sign up for yourself or show someone you're thinking of them with a Realise Gift Voucher.
6. It's All Around Us
What a gift it is to be surrounded by nature. To experience sunrises, storms, sunshine and seasons. Mother Earth provides us with some pretty magical gifts. All we have to do is notice. Take a step outside, turn your face to the sky and just appreciate what surrounds you. Have some more time to spend outdoors? Put your screen away and treat yourself to a walk in whatever nature you can find and notice the peace it brings to you.
7. Know A Traveller?
Sleep and posture have a huge effect on our energy and mood. Let's face it - when we're travelling, sleep and posture are one of the first things to go out the window. Enter Hyoumankind. Ergonomically designed to optimise your sleep, the Go Pillow by Hyoumankind is a breathable memory foam pillow that's perfect for taking with you when you're on the go. Take a look at the Aro Ha x Hyoumankind Go Pillow that comes with a handy travel case.
8. Wrap It Up Right
It's a tradition to wrap up gifts, adding the element of surprise. However, most gift wrapping is not recyclable and adds unnecessary waste to a thoughtful gesture. Bring sustainability to your gift wrapping this year with furoshiki. Inspired by the Japanese act of wrapping mindfully, a furoshiki cloth is typically made from fabric and can be tied in multiple ways, designed to be reused over and over again. There are a lot of great Youtube tutorials on how to tie different sized gifts. Make your own cloth or find different sized cloths such as these.
9. A Big-Little Gesture
Your time and presence when someone is in need is an invaluable gift, and often one that is hard to ask for. This season, stop and take a moment to think about a friend that might need your help. Maybe it's a new mother that needs some washing folded, a friend that needs a supportive phone call, or a neighbour that could do with a hand in their garden. These little gestures may seem small, but your time and energy are precious, so when we share them with others it's a gift that's truly appreciated.
10. Ten Minutes
During this time of year of endless go go go, give yourself ten minutes to just breathe. Meditation and breathwork can help calm the mind, relax our nervous system, and help relieve stress and anxiety. Just ten minutes is all you need to gift yourself a little bit of stillness in your day. Try this Holiday Box Breathwork with Damian to instantly feel more at ease. Loved it? Gift it to a friend by sending them the link.
11. Gift of Wellness
Know a friend that needs a shift in their life? Delight them with a life-changing, earth-shaking and immersive wellness experience at Aro Ha Wellness Retreat. Choose between a Summer or Winter retreat, and let them choose the dates.
Click here to gift wellness.
12. A Helping Hand
While this time of year is supposed to be about love and sharing our precious time with our loved ones, it can also be a difficult time for many for those exact reasons. If this resonates with you, we're sending you a cosmic hug. We want to shine a light on an amazing resource called BetterHelp*, an online platform which links you to a qualified therapist anywhere in the world to help with whatever you are going through. Several of our team have used their resources and found them extremely helpful.
Remember this holiday season doesn't have to be overwhelming and about giving more. Sometimes it's life's little gifts that have the biggest love behind them and that we end up cherishing the most. This year, try to prioritise local, sustainable and meaningful gifts. Rather than Black Friday, think Green Friday.
From our family to yours, sending love
The Aro Ha Team
*As a BetterHelp affiliate partner, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.