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When you have so many people to buy for, and you want to get them just the right thing, Christmas gift shopping can become super overwhelming. But as the holiday season approaches, we’re more interested in enjoying the festive vibes than stressing ourselves out! That’s why we always revisit the ‘Five Gift Rule’.
If you want to leave gift-shopping panic behind and make it fun again, let’s dive into the Five Gift Rule, how it’ll help and what gifts and experiences could fit into the five categories.
What’s the Five Gift Rule?
The Five Gift Rule is a clever shopping strategy to help reduce stress, clutter and manage spending. There are five categories to focus on when buying a gift for a special person in your life this Christmas.
The five categories are:
- Something they want
- Something they need
- Something to wear
- Something to read
- Something to do
By limiting the focus to five things, the gifting scope becomes more refined, and you don’t have to think so hard about what you’re going to get. Trust us, you can still buy an awesome gift that’ll be well-loved without losing your mind trying to pick it!
How to use the Five Gift Rule
- You can get someone a small gift from each of these categories
- You can pick just one or a few categories to help guide your shopping process
- You can find some gift ideas that cover a few of the five rules at once!
Now that you’re all caught up on what the Five Gift Rule is, here are some ideas that can help you narrow down your shopping list!
Something they want
Knowing what someone might want is probably the trickiest of the five categories. More so if a person always buys what they want for themselves!
Our secret tip: Focus on the little things they mention or enjoy that they might not necessarily get for themselves. You can also make space for them to have experiences they’ve shown interest in but haven’t had the time for.
Our top ideas:
- Trinkets or home decorations that suit their personality
- Fun gadgets like an Instacam or record player that are used just for the fun of it
- A creative experience to socialise and make something together
- An experience that gives them time out from a stressful routine
Creative experiences that might suit ‘something they want’ (and ‘something to do!’):
- Learn the art of Kintsugi in Sydney—this is great for some hands-on and peaceful reflection whilst making something beautiful to display at home. This handmade pottery piece will be a gentle reminder to always find the beauty in imperfections.
- Paint a record in Tweed Heads—not only will this record be a one-of-a-kind paint and sip experience helping you both relax and have fun, but everyone will walk away with a unique piece of art that’ll play their favourite song.
- Ceramic paint and sip in Darlinghurst, Sydney—spend social time with friends whilst you paint colourful plates and bowls to show off at home! Layla M. recently attended this session and thought it was a great break away from the everyday with her loved ones:
“The teachers were lovely and very accommodating!! This was such a fun activity and the environment was great. Would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a unique and artsy activity with your friends or family.”
Left it too late and overwhelmed? See our last-minute Christmas shopping guide!
Something they need
These are the kinds of gifts that can be a little more practical, usually fitting in with the gift-receiver's lifestyle and hobbies.
Our top ideas:
- Tools or materials for their regular hobbies (whether they paint or crochet or play sports!)
- Skincare or haircare that they’re running out of
- Gift cards to places you know they regularly shop
- A planned moment of peace and relaxation (or a bit of fun!)—time spent connecting
Creative experiences that might suit ‘something they need’ (and ‘something to do!’):
- Make mugs together in Fremantle, Perth—you’ll get to have a hands-on, crafty moment in time together and also get a homemade mug to elevate your morning brews!
- You can make your own custom scents together at this perfume making workshop in Melbourne. Perfect for when your partner, friend or family member is running out of their favourite perfume!
Something to wear
This one’s pretty self-explanatory—what’s their style? Think of what they’ve been eyeing off or wearing lately that they might like more of!
Our top ideas:
- Hats, sunglasses and other accessories
- T-shirts, jumpers or other non-fitted pieces of clothing
- Clothes you know they wear all the time, whether that’s a specific top, shorts or even socks!
- Some sentimental jewels
Creative experiences that suit ‘something to wear’ (and ‘something to do!’):
- For a unique, personalised accessory, try hat burning in Brisbane. Trista N., a recent hat-burner, had the best time with her sister:
“My sister and I had a wonderful time being creative at the hat burning class. Everyone was so helpful and encouraging! It was a lovely afternoon!”
- Make clay silver rings together in Brunswick, Melbourne. You’ll get a little treasure to wear with the bonus of a fun day out with each other.
- For a sustainable gift, you can repurpose some old clothes and make them anew in this rainbow Shibori fabric workshop in Adelaide.
Something to read
Another clear directive! What do they like to read? Whether it’s fiction, non-fiction, magazines or their Instagram feed, you can usually find a bookish present that’ll suit their reading interests.
Our top ideas:
- For avid readers, check their Goodreads and see what’s on their TBR (‘To Be Read’ list)
- If you’ve chatted about certain topics with shared interest, we bet there’s a book for whatever it is!
- A journal for reading back notes
- Humorous books or a pocket book of affirmations for those who don’t read regularly but wouldn’t mind something to flip through now and then
Creative experiences that suit ‘something to read’ (and ‘something to do!’):
- Book in an adult junk journaling session for two in Sydney where you’ll both enjoy prettifying your own thoughts, hopes and aspirations just like when you were kids!
- Learn to repair and restore your own books together in Collingwood, Melbourne. This is a great gift idea for friends and family who love to buy secondhand books and want to learn how to spruce them up!
Something to do
Shared experiences may not be tangible, but the memories you make are often the best gifts— not just something for everyone to reminisce about, but also a simple reminder that they’re enjoying life to its fullest.
Christmas is the best time to lock in a ‘something to do’ gift, when most people are enjoying the holidays. Or, you can make plans for the new year to keep the high vibes going!
Our top ideas:
- Walking tours to rediscover or enjoy your local area from a new perspective
- Wine or food tasting experiences for a fancy day out!
- Joint cooking classes that you can recreate at home
- A self-pamper day to make sure you’re treating yourselves right
Creative experiences that might suit ‘something to do’:
- Unwind at a picnic and paint experience in Sydney where you have plenty of time to catch up and enjoy each other's company as you make the most of an Aussie summer’s day.
- If you’re up for some proper belly laughs, join your friends or family at a Japanese alcohol tasting with stand-up comedy in Surry Hills.
- If you’re after a fun but different kind of night out, learn how to make cocktails and finish with a feast in Potts Point. Amanda M. stumbled upon this session and ended up having an absolute blast. No matter the weather, you could have a great time, too:
“What an experience! We randomly booked this online as we were in Sydney and it was raining all weekend, so we were looking for some things to do. Outstanding in every way: the value for money, food quality, service and the whole experience.”
By keeping things simple with the Five Gift Rule, holiday shopping stops feeling like a chore and goes back to being a joy. Focus on thoughtful choices, create lasting memories with unique experiences, and spend this festive season enjoying time with the people who matter most.
