Has the rise of minimalism changed how we give and receive gifts?

While it isn’t a new idea, thanks to books such as Marie Kondo’s ‘The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up’ minimalism is firmly on the rise, and many people are now actively moving towards a less cluttered, less possession-orientated existence. This cultural shift is spelling bad news for the retail economy, as people seek to find joy in experiences as opposed to material goods. So — what effect has this had on the gifting landscape, and will we eventually leave gifts (in the traditional sense) behind altogether?

Minimalism began as an art movement in 1960s New York, and the appreciation of simplicity of form has spread into the wider consciousness ever since. Now, it is regularly linked to Marie Kondo, and is especially favoured by millennials looking to get out of the cycle of working, getting into debt, and working more to get out of debt. Zach Pandle, Senior Economist at Goldman Sachs, reports that “This is a generation that is bigger than boomers in population but their wallets are smaller, and they are more into the style of life than the stuff of life”.

This is in stark contrast to traditional gifting culture — a culture of more is more, attaining items that you ‘want’ rather than ‘need’ and displaying your love for someone in terms of how much money you spend on them. It is interesting to note that acquiring physical items is proved not to make us happy — so perhaps the minimalists are onto something?

In any case — whether you’re all for big presents, or would prefer not to acquire material items — the effects of minimalism on the current gifting landscape are clear. In 2018, Brits reportedly spent £1.6bn on experience gifts, a 115% increase on the previous year, and, in a survey carried out by Barclaycard, 64% of Brits admitted to preferring to receive experiences over material gifts because they’ve already ‘got it all’. Joshua Fields Millburn, a minimalist podcaster and documentary maker, states “I still enjoy participating in the holidays. I now give gifts of experiences, charitable donations, or, if I give material goods, I give consumables”.

While minimalism is changing the way we gift, it seems that — for now at least — the ritual of gift-giving will live one, just under a slightly different guise. If you are looking to pursue an existence with less material items, perhaps consider asking for just one or two larger presents to avoid getting stocking fillers. Be clear with your family and friends about your desire to acquire less and request experiences rather than material things as a gift — they’ll probably be pleased to know what it is you’d like to receive, so they can avoid the guesswork!