Giving a resource sounds a bit strange, I’ll grant you that, but I think it is a good idea.
As a gift, it will cost you little but time, yet it can be a highly prized gift to receive.
A resource is simply offering help
What is a resource gift?
We’re not talking about a bucket of coal or a drum of oil here! A resource is a useful reference so I’m suggesting providing useful information as a gift.
Examples of resource gifts I’ve thought of are:
- a list of good books for a certain age group – many parents would love to have some guidance with choosing books
- information about a piece of technology (eg a computer, smart phone or mp3 player) for someone who is struggling with the lists of features and prices in choosing what to buy
- a list of great websites on a specific topic – such as places to visit on their planned holiday to Europe, where to find equipment for their new hobby, facilities in the area they are moving to, and so on
- tips on dealing with a parenting issue. For instance, if parents are looking for a school give them a list of local schools’ websites along with tips from parenting and educating experts plus your own tips and experiences. Even better if you can add feedback from other parents on the relevant schools
- information and tips on caring for something. So as a mechanic you could give a new driver a guide to basic car care or a gardener (professional or otherwise!) could give a calendar of tips (eg what pruning and planting to do each month) to someone moving into their first home
Where’s the value?
From one point of view, a resource may not seem to be an impressive gift – let’s face it, it’s just a piece of paper or two.
But it has so much more value than the paper it is written on 🙂
- you are giving your time and people appreciate that
- you are sharing your knowledge and skills – this may be simple information to you but could provide real insights to others who don’t have your expertise. There is value in knowledge and people pay good money for consultant’s advice so don’t undersell the value of this
- you are showing an interest in the person if you give resources relevant to what they are doing or planning. It shows care and thoughtfulness on your part
- you could make a huge difference to someone. If your gift saves the person time and worry they will consider it a highly valuable gift.
Adding more value
You can make the resource have a greater impact if you want to. Again, these are just a few of my ideas to get you started…
- decorate the page and make it actually look nice. If the resource is long enough, present it as a small book and even add cardboard covers with photos or other images to brighten it up
- add a relevant item to the present. So add a spanner with the car care tips, some packets of seeds with the gardening tips, a password tool subscription with a list of websites, or a drink bottle for the new sportsperson
- include a voucher for you to spend some follow-up time with the person. Consider an hour teaching the new driver to change a tyre, going with parents to look at new schools or helping your friend pack before they move house.
Can you think of other examples of resources to give as gifts?
What resource would you like to receive?
Love, love love this! It’s a terrific idea.
One of my hobbies is genealogy. I love it, researching finding out where I came from. I would resouce my skill for digging up your past. I spent 2 years doing my fathers family tree, once completed I had it certified and authenticated, so I do know what I’m doing. I would love to help someone go back a few generations in their past. What a nice gift anytime of year!
A resource gives a perosnal touch even for thsoe who can’t do much craft work 🙂
But absolutely a great gift idea is give someone some of their family background, pocs. You could take it as far as you wanted for each person – one you might decide to only do a few hours on it while another person you could spend ages on.
See how carried away I get get about giving. I just saw sharing with others and went full speed ahead without absorbing the actually meaning. Now thinking I would give tips and pointers on how to repurpose things in your home that could work year round as well as the holidays.
Yes, that would be a great resource from you, pocs 🙂 Or tips on how to research your own family history 🙂
I would love to tip list of places to visit in a 100 mile radius of my home. My husband and I love to take small road trips in the summer to see what we can discover.
Write a list of what you have discovered, pocs, and give copies (maybe email them) to everyone ou give Christmas gifts to. Add a note ‘This is what we’ve found – and we’d love to learn about some more great places to visit so please share your experiences…’ to get ideas coming to you. Categorise into ‘family friendly’, ‘food related’, ‘active’, etc, combine the responses with your original and it’ll become a great resource!
Would you include recipes as a resource gift? I think some recipe cards of your favorite recipes would make a good gift. Or create a basket with the ingredients and include the recipe card.
Recipes can be a resource, hohoho, but if you’re a good cook you could take it further than just a recipe, I think.
Give a sheet of tips on cooking a good stiry fry/casserole/whatever, or ideas for quick dinners, or getting the best from cheap cuts of meat, or alternatives that can be used (herbs instead of sauces, sweet potato instead of potato, dried herbs for fresh). Or add tips to a specific recipe.
It think a recipe could be considered a resource . Especially if the recipe is something different from your culture. A recipe that maybe you came up with using different ingredients. You could include a card of how this recipe came into light, how to find out more of the origin, where you can find the ingredients and things like that. The gift baskets sounds like a wonderful gift, one I have done myself, but I’m not sure if it would be a resource, still a wonderful gift idea.
I love the idea of adding more than just a recipe – the background and tips about the receipe (eg ‘if x is unavailable, try y’ or ‘works better if it sits for a while’).
Resource or not (and who says there are strict rules on that deifnition, lol) it is a great gift idea, pocs and hohoho.
Awesome idea guys. Besides coming up with your own recipe how about adding in a few gift certificates so the person you are giving the resource to can enjoy doing the recipe without spending too much moolah on one cold Christmas day? I have done this once before and it sure is a great gift.
A voucher for the ingredients to go with the recipe, you mean? That is a good idea, especially for consumables you can’t give at Christmas.
pocs had a good idea. My Mom would love a family tree. She would love it if I put one together secretly for her. My brother is a bachealor and doesn’t know how to cook much. I bet he’d love it if I put together not just my favorite recipes, but instructions and tips on a lot of the cooking basics he’s always calling to ask me about.
There’s two of your presents sorted for Christmas, gerkmeister 🙂 Now you just have to create the resoruces for them!
I think giving resource gifts as Christmas presents is a great idea. The information that people can get from these gifts would even have higher value than that of the actual gifts.
Glad you like the idea, Vida. I hope the people in your life will appreciate such gifts when you make them.
@gerkmeister, you will find a family tree will be a wonderful gift for yourself as well. It’s like a treasure hunt that never ends.
My mind is spinning with ideas for resource gifts. I’m really thinking this may be my theme for gift giving this year. It really is a gift that keeps on giving.
Happy to have inspired your new theme, pocs 🙂
What a super idea – I’m thinking of giving seeds as resource gifts this year. I’d have to tailor them to what I know of the recipients – if they don’t have a garden, something they can grow in pots (for example). I think if people receive seeds they will plant them. For children, I’ll include some seeds that they can grow indoors, immediately, such as water crees and also something to plant in the spring, such as sunflower seeds. For older children and adult friends I’ll send seeds that will produce food – radishes, herbs etc
Great idea, Fren. Seeds is a lovely gift idea, especially as it will grow and keep on giving pleasure.
Giving a recourse is a good idea and I wish I had though about it. This would be great for my Mom. She struggles using her cell phone and other things. I could it make it a family gift and she would enjoy it. Thanks for the idea!
You and your Mum are most welcome, Lisa – I’m sure she will appreciate some help, especially from her family.