Have you read a hundred gift guides and still don’t know what to get anyone? Are you completely over this over commercialized, buy all the things for all the people you don’t like culture? Well technically this is another gift guide, but we’re certainly not telling you buy all the things (only some of the things) and we think you’ll appreciate a slightly different take on this whole holiday hoopla.
First and foremost, we believe in gifting experiences over things. Yeah, weird coming from a brand that sells things, right? Well, we’re real people, with real morals and ethics and strongly believe the best thing you can gift anyone is time and experiences they’ll appreciate and remember. Most of us have far too many things we don’t need or want so instead of another random trinket (please no more trinkets, save the planet), check out these great options for the happy hiker in your life:
– A Hiking Adventure from Adventures Accessed. From Backpacking 101 to an intense 40 miler, they have plenty of options to help your friends enjoy some time outside in 2020.
-National Park Pass. Gift the fun of exploring our National Parks for a full year!
-Gift cards for local adventures – think ropes courses, arboretums, fitness or hiking clubs, skiing or snowshoeing, the list goes on.
-Plan an adventure! Put together an itinerary for a future adventure that you can do together, maybe a hike, a picnic, a pit stop a brewery, and night under the stars.
-Lessons, classes or retreats – swimming lessons, skiing lessons, climbing class, yoga retreat. Bonus if it’s something new that you can try together!
Now we know experiences are where it’s at, but we also know how fun it can be to find the PERFECT gift for someone. So if you still want to gift an item, intentional gifting is where it’s at. Really think about the person and what they would love. Know what you are willing and able to spend, then consider your options. Look for locally owned businesses, ethically sourced items, and second hand items if appropriate. Be intentional with your dollars and make sure you are choosing items you can feel good about. One really quality item that you KNOW the receiver will love is going to mean so much more than a bunch of random, cheap crap they’ll forget about a week later. So, some ideas:
-Happy People Hike Gear (DUH!) – We are a small, family owned business, our clothing is manufactured with an eco-friendly, W.R.A.P certified company, and designs and printing are done locally. And we have a CRAZY CHRISTMAS EXTRAVAGANZA sale going on right now!
-Outdoor gear from a local outfitter. We’re in Grand Rapids, MI and love Bill and Paul’s. Buying the bigger brands from a locally owned store helps keep those dollars in your community while still being able to snag the brands your gift receiver will love.
-Outdoor inspired art. We’re huge fans of Rachel Pohl, Cazh Studios and Gwen Frostic.
-National Park Junkie Gear – Does your happy hiker love the national parks? Check out Wanderlustmark for some fun tees and stickers!
-Gifts that gives back. We donate $1 from each shirt sale, World Wildlife Fund has a fun store, and ENO Hammocks gives 1% of their annual sales to nonprofits focused on the environment.
One final idea, donate to a worthy cause in your gift receivers name. Figure out what they are passionate about and do your homework to ensure the charity you choose is using their funds in an appropriate manner.
And remember, the best gift you can give anyone is your time and attention. Skip the giving all together and spend time in deep conversation, making a meal together, or singing and dancing under the tree. Those are the “things” that truly matter and that you’ll remember for a lifetime.
