The art of intergenerational gift-giving

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With Mother's Day just around the corner, Australians across the country are thinking about the kinds of gifts to get all the powerful women in their family.

Whilst a gift like a beautiful bouquet of flowers may be enough to make the important women in our lives smile for the day, it begs the question, what gifts have the power to bring us closer together?

In our busy lives, it's so easy to become out of step with our families. Our schedules begin to switch, and slowly the daily phone call home has turned to a weekly, fortnightly, or even monthly one, which is what makes days like Mother's Day so valuable to many modern Aussie families.

In truth, there are also so many gifts families can give each other that extend beyond material sentiments, gifts that have the power to bridge gaps between generations.

Today, we explore the beauty of intergenerational gift-giving and how this age-old form of gifting has the power to forge lasting bonds between mothers, daughters, and even granddaughters.

When thinking of gifts for mums or daughters, it can be easy to go straight to materialistic gift ideas, like jewellery or perfumes. Whilst these material items can be a fantastic gift option if you find items that hold significance to your intended gift recipient, it's important to keep in mind that these aren't the only kinds of gifts available to you.

A truly underappreciated form of gift-giving is upholding and passing on the honour of participating in a family tradition. An example of this is gifting a special family recipe from mother to daughter, or even bequeathing her a family heirloom like a brooch or a ring that belonged to her grandmother or great-grandmother.

Passing down these cherished items can naturally bring family members together, alongside ensuring that your daughter is aware of her own heritage, and deepens her own connections to the women who paved the way for her.

Whilst we all adore our grandparents, it can sometimes be all too easy to forget to check in as often as we should. Alongside this, the past few years of lockdowns may have forced many Australians to stay connected to their older family members solely by using their phones, computers, or other technology, which can naturally lead to elderly family members feeling alienated due to a lack of proficiency with those communication tools.

That's precisely why a particularly great material gift to give this year is a physical game (like a board game) that you can all enjoy together. By setting aside time to actively engage with our family members rather than settling for passive or two-dimensional interactions, we can help bridge gaps between grandmothers, mothers, and daughters, alongside generally bringing us closer together with all the other special people in our lives.

If games aren't a big hit in your family, then any other activity that will be sure to keep you all together will likely be an equally fantastic addition to your Mother's Day in 2022. For instance, you and your mother, grandmother, or daughter could go to brunch or high tea together, go to a spa, or even just go for a daytrip to a nearby town.

We've all had that moment of manically rushing into the shopping centre, desperate to find a last-minute gift for a loved one. It's a staple of most big holidays, so there's no need to feel guilt here!

Whilst these last-minute gift ideas may still be useful to your recipient and thus appreciated by them, there's no denying that the best gifts are the ones that have thought and sentiment behind them.

Sometimes, presents that draw family members closer together are ones that clearly have had much thought, love, and care put into them, with both the wants and the needs of your gift's recipient being considered.

Feeling seen and understood by your family makes a true difference and can bring you closer together simply because of this small offering of love. It truly is the thought that counts.

Finally, rather than purchasing a material gift or even any kind of physical item for your family members this Mother's Day, why not instead for a fun and potentially brand new experience to do together.

This can be anything as simple as a group activity like an escape room or a hot air balloon ride, all the way to a highly personal experience like a private lesson in anything that interests them.

If you want to make your experiential gift extra special, however, then we highly recommend booking an additional ticket to ensure that you can come along too and experience it all right alongside them. After all, no material gifts can really compare to making lasting memories together.

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Life can be one big blur sometimes. One moment you're getting ready for your first day of school, and the next you're typing away at your 9-to-5. So, it's important to continue to strengthen the bonds of those who have come along that journey with you.

Your family are the people who know you the best, and by gifting something that connects you all, be it a family recipe or family heirloom, an activity you can do together, or an experience you can all enjoy together, you are continuing to strengthen the bonds between you and no doubt, cultivating your own sense of belonging along the way too.