Ever since O. Henry wrote about the Magi, it’s been pretty clear that gifts aren’t about the stuff as much as they are the intent. Holidays where gifts are expected undermine this, because it’s hard to tell where obligation begins and intent fades away.
One lightweight and quick alternative to traditional items are digital ones. Here are a bunch of free ebooks for you to share, or consider giving someone a subscription to this blog. There are also countless free ebook and audiobooks out there, as well as thousands of hours of Grateful Dead concerts. Consider spending an hour to teach someone you care about a new skill, or how to understand or streamline their digital day (including RSS, a gift that keeps on giving).
If you’re looking for physical items, I just discovered the best water bottle ever made. I contacted the company and volunteered to contribute a collab to support their mission. And of course, you can get one with my logo on it. It also comes with a ridiculous poem I asked chatGPT to write.
And in 2023, I published The Song of Significance. I hope you’ll get a chance to read or listen, in whatever form, with people you work with/care about.
My complete list of books, calendars and whatnot is right here.
Unrelated, a small aside about shaving brushes.
Here’s the connection, care and peace of mind.