Using the 5 Love Languages to guide your Christmas shopping is a powerful way to show people you love them. I have created a guide to learn more about the 5 Love Languages and gift ideas for each of the 5 Love Languages.
If you are not familiar with the 5 Love Languages, they are 5 categories in which people feel and give love. The 5 Love Languages is not just for couples learning how to better love each other; it’s for yourself, your kids, etc. The 5 categories are Quality Time, Acts of Service, Physical Touch, Words of Affirmation, and Receiving Gifts. These categories aren’t black and white. For example, Receiving Gifts does not necessarily mean you can bring your loved one a gift, and they would be happy. People who score high in the Receiving Gift category enjoy receiving thoughtful gifts. They feel appreciated and love when you pick up their favorite candy bar when you stop grabbing some gas. Each category is the same; they aren’t cut and dry. If you would like more information about the 5 love languages, there is a quiz, book, and other resources. You can find those resources here: https://www.5lovelanguages.com/quizzes/
5 Love Languages Gift Guide
Quality Time
People who score high in the Quality Time category just simply want to spend time with you! They want your attention on them, doing something you both love.
If you share a passion for wine, grab a wine tasting that the two of you could do.
Experiences are key when it comes to giving gifts to someone in this category. Find a museum you can go to together, find a cool local event to take them to, find something they love, and go with them to the event.
If you both love staying in, grab take out from your favorite restaurant and plan a night in. Chat over dinner, watch their favorite movie together, play their favorite board game.
The key in all of these recommendations is your attention. Make the night you spend with them unplugged.
Show them you are present and in the moment with them.
Acts of Service
People who fall into the category of Acts of Service would like tasks done. This is a very action-oriented way of giving gifts. They feel most love when their loved one does a chore around the house that they usually wouldn’t or stops at the grocery store, so their partner doesn’t have to.
Great gifts ideas for people in this category aren’t physical gifts. This doesn’t mean you can get away with not getting them a physicals gift, but there are ways for the holidays you can make their holidays the best.
Great ideas would be making them breakfast and coffee on Christmas morning. Bring it to them in bed! It will set an excellent mood for the rest of the day. Offer to cook or clean for big holiday meals; pick whichever task your partner likes doing least.
Great actual gifts you can give are gifts of tasks being completed. So if your partner hates cutting the lawn, give them the gift of a lawn service coming to do it. If they are busy and don’t have a ton of time to clean their house, give them the gift of a cleaning service. If you are looking to save a few bucks, make coupons with tasks you are willing to do for them that can be started immediately. Let them know that they can use their coupon at any time, for any reason. If they don’t use their coupons – help them use them. If they have a long day and typically are the ones to do the dishes, suggest before dinner that tonight would be a good night to use their dishwashing coupon.
The key with this gift is to do tasks for them, especially ones they do not like to do.
Physical Touch
People who score high in the Physical Touch category don’t just want to be hugged all the time! There are some great physical and platonic gifts that can be given to this category.
If you are in a platonic relationship with someone in this category, think of the sense of touch when shopping for a gift. You can get them blankets, slippers, massage certificates, and anything cozy to the touch!
If you are in a romantic relationship, cozy things and massage certificates are great but, consider planning an evening to give them a back of foot massage. Give them some extra cuddle time on Christmas morning before getting out of bed!
The important thing to realize with Physical Touch is to give them something that appeals to their sense of touch!
Words of Affirmation
People who score high in the Words of Affirmation category enjoy hearing and reading loving words from you. For a gift, creating some type of written word to physically give them would be perfect. Write them a love letter! Send your best friend a letter or postcard with loving words. Grab a Fill in the Love Book, which is a fill in the blank journal, and you can get one for each Words of Affirmation person in your life. You can create a book for a graphic novel digitally or physically with important and loving words. There are books to help you write letters for a letter time capsule. You can create a box of “read when ___” letters for happy, sad, or random moments they might go through. Having your words written somewhere that they can return to is key for this gift. Also, make sure you tell them how wonderful you think they are – in your own way during the holidays. Filling them up with loving words will make their confidence soar during this holiday season.
Receiving Gifts
As I mentioned in the intro, people who score high in receiving gifts do not just want random gifts; they want meaningful gifts. These people want meaningful, physical gifts.
Focus on finding gifts that are meaningful and tailored to the person you are buying for. Grab them their favorite flower, make them a collage of their favorite photos, buy them their favorite coffee from their favorite coffee shop. Gifts do not have to be expensive, it just needs to be meaningful to them.
The key thing is to find gifts that are their favorite physical things!
Happy Shopping!
Maria Does Things 