Giving Gifts That Last

One of my 2017 PowerSheets goals has been to simplify and live with less. Not just physical stuff, but less stress, less emotional baggage, less all-around junk that tends to fill our lives. I’ve been doing a lot of purging lately–preparing to combine two households into one after my fiancé and I get married, and it’s been freeing to get rid of a lot of things that I just don’t use anymore.

It’s also made me hypersensitive of gift-giving this holiday season, and that’s a good thing! Rather than defaulting to gifting another sweater in a different color (sorry sis), I’ve been trying to think of ways to give gifts that will make a difference, in both the lives of our the makers and the lives of the recipient. A gift that will matter long past when the wrapping paper is cleaned up and the Christmas tree is tucked away. A gift that will LAST.

That might sound like a tall task but it doesn’t have to be! Here are a few of our favorite tips on how to give gifts that last:

• Look at the items that you use on a daily basis in your life, and gift those things. Lara gifted us with FitBits earlier this year, and it’s been such a staple in my days that I’m purchasing one for my father this year!
• Think about the impact a gift can have long past the day its given, and meet a need! When you’re home for Thanksgiving and notice that your mother is using a single cutting board to prepare Thanksgiving for 20 people, choose to invest in a nice wooden cutting board she can use for years to come.
• Research shops that support a charitable cause! Whether it’s investing a portion of their sales each month in a single non-profit, empowering workers by paying a living wage, or allowing their employees to devote a portion of their working hours to serving the community, find businesses that make this a priority and invest in their products or services.
• Shop local and small. Get to know the business owners in your community (both locally and online) and buy from them. These teams have poured their hearts into their trade, and they’d love to have your business and support. Even if you aren’t able to buy from them, get to know their business and become brand evangelists for them!

Our mission at Cultivate What Matters is to encourage women to cultivate what matters, right where they are. Each product we create is intended to do just that, and we’ve seen firsthand how they’ve made a difference in not just our lives, but the lives of women across the world. Today, we’re sharing some of our favorite gifts that last to give from the Cultivate Shop and kicking off our best sale of the year!

For the women on your BFF text message thread: These are the ladies that will flood your text messages with laugh-until-you-cry GIFs one moment and then drop what they’re doing in the next moment to show up. They pray for you, encourage you, and remind your to count your blessings daily. The Write the Word // All Seasons Collection makes a great gift (it’s on sale and like getting one free!), because you can divide it up into individual gifts to say thank you!

For your bookworm buddy: She’s the first friend you text when you finish the book that everyone is talking about and one of the few people you share your those books you’re embarrassed that you read with (don’t worry, everyone has those books!) The Cultivate Book and Make it Happen Book Bundle will sure to be the books you’re talking about for weeks and months to come!

For your children’s classroom teacher: For the lady who loves on your children each and every day, graciously replenishing the always-disappearing bins of glue sticks and expo markers out of her own paycheck each month. Give her some supplies she won’t want to share by gifting her our original Cultivate What Matters Sticker Book. Bonus points if you tuck a Target gift card in there and make it known that she’s supposed to use it for herself, not more colored pencils.

For the neighbor who just had her first baby: Drop off a meal from her meal train delivery and slip in a copy of our Goal Guide for Parents. Make sure you tuck in a note to remind her that this is grace-filled goal setting, and it’s okay to let the new momma fog settle before she starts setting goals for her new family!

For your newlywed friend: You cried your eyes out during the ceremony and then danced the night away at her wedding a few months ago. Send her our Goal Guide for Couples with a handwritten note telling her how much you loved celebrating her big day and that you can’t wait to watch her new marriage flourish.

For the friend-of-a-friend you want to get to know better: Order two copies of our Fruitful Friendships Workbook and invite her to a weekly coffee date to get to know each other better!

For your Grandma: If you’re grandma is anything like mine, she’s one of the kindest ladies you know, always insisting of making you something to eat every single time you visit because “you need some meat on your bones” and the one who keeps her Bible open beside her chair in the living room. Give her our Cultivating Faith Desk Card Set to tuck into the pages of her well-worn Bible as encouragement and a constant reminder of God’s grace. On the back of each card, you can write a few of your favorite memories with her!

For your favorite things party: For when you need three gifts under $10 for your neighborhood’s annual Favorite Things Party, our Encouragement Postcard Set is the perfect gift! Send the love and encouragement to friends across town, across the country, or across the world with our pack of 20 postcards. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

For the lady in your life who has loved and supported you consistently: Whether it’s your momma, an aunt, or a mentor, this is the lady who selflessly gives of herself to serve others. Say thank you to her for investing in your future by investing in hers with our One-Year PowerSheets Goal Planner. The best part of PowerSheets? They’re perfect for women in every stage of life, every role, and every season, and they’ll help her uncover good goals and do something about them!

We’d love to hear from you! Are you grabbing any gifts from the Cultivate sale for your loved ones? Are you purchasing something for yourself? Leave a comment and let us know what you plan on snagging!

We kicked off our Holiday Sale in the Cultivate Shop today! Everything in the Cultivate Shop (with the exception of 2018 PowerSheets and the Goal Setting Sticker Book) is on sale, no code required! Best part? The sale starts today and runs through Monday, November 27th at 11:59pm ET. Shop today with confidence knowing we won’t be posting a better deal on Black Friday. Enjoy time with your loved ones; no door-busting required!