The holidays are coming up, and as we get ready to celebrate and spend time away from work with our friends and families, it’s also time for many of us to start thinking about gifts. Whether you’re trying to come up with your own wish list or looking for something special for that person who’s impossible to buy for – I’m looking at you, Dad – we want to help you think of your gift giving and receiving with a spirit of inclusion. What is a spirit of inclusion? It’s giving and receiving gifts in a way that creates space in your life and in the lives of others for greater empathy, hope, and generosity. Here are some great ideas of gifts we love to get you started:
Self-Care Reminders
We all need help sticking to our self-care routines once in a while, so why not give something to incentivize the practice? Candles, journals, craft supplies, boxing (or yoga) memberships, or even new music are great gifts to encourage your friend or family member on their self-care journey. For that loved one who really just needs to spend some time coloring and meditating on love, try this fun coloring book, all the proceeds from which are donated to organizations that protect the vulnerable.
Books, books, and more books!
I don’t know about you, but I ask for a stack of books every year. The holidays are a great time to sit by the fire with a new book and learn something new going into the new year. If you’re looking to reflect on your inclusion journey, check out Mary-Frances Winters’ Inclusion Starts with I – if you need daily reminders, check out the playing cards and share them with friends! If you want some tips going into the new year on how to bring your whole self to work when talking about difficult topics, check out her latest, We Can’t Talk About That At Work!: How to Talk About Race, Religion, Politics, and Other Polarizing Topics.
Wear Your Mission
Sometimes you just want something cute to wear that also lets people know how inclusive you are. We get it, so we want to help you wear your mission this year and give your friends and family something fun to wear. Check out our “Peace, Love, Inclusion” shirts and our “Live Inclusively” wristbands for wearable reminders of how your want to live. Want your space to look great, too? Check out this beautiful print by Alesia Fisher on the beauty and strength of diversity.
It’s Time to GIVE!
Last, but perhaps most important, is giving. Donating to a charity in someone’s name is a beautiful way to sew inclusion into your holiday exchanges. Maybe your friend is concerned about the environment, so you donate to the Environmental Defense Fund. Perhaps you donate to the ACLU or the Southern Poverty Law Center for that super #woke friend whose mission is to protect the vulnerable. Maybe you donate in your family’s name to an organization like Together Rising that provides funds for children and families in need. Whatever your or your loved one’s cause is, the holidays are a great time to show support and solidarity.
We hope you find some ideas for your gifting this year, and that you are inspired to give and to get with a spirit of inclusion!
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I had looked forward to reading this article when I saw the part of the title that read: “How to #LiveInclusively During the Holiday Season.” While I appreciate the suggestions of some gifts that promote understanding and generosity, I would have hoped for some content around the fact that the term “holiday season” is itself not very inclusive, even though it intends to be. The reality is that this is not everyone’s holiday season. My holiday season is in September, when I am busy cooking and hosting meals and getting together with loved ones and focusing on spirituality. I also do not have a long gift list this time of year. For other friends of mine, March is their busy time when they need more flexibility at work to participate in religious observances – which they have to ask for as an exception vs. the rule at that time of year.
Practically everywhere I go this time of year I am reminded that I am not part of the dominant group, and encounter a lot of assumptions around my practices. I was hoping to find something different in this article. I trust that this was written with an inclusive and generous spirit, but wish that this publication took the opportunity to educate around differences that would serve us all.
Hi Andrea! Thank you for your comments. This post was solely to be “A Gift Guide” as mentioned in the title. We have since updated the post to add two articles that we have written in the past regarding being inclusive during this time of year. Also, next week we will also be touching on that topic as well, so stay tuned!