A Gift Guide for the Loved One in Your Life Managing a Breakup
As we approach Black Friday, the consumer kick-off to the holiday season, sites ranging from the New York Times (Gifts for the Hard to Please) to Wired (Gifts for Your Favorite Freelancer) to GOOP (Gifts for Wellness Junkies) offer up curated shopping listicles for all your potential recipients. But frequently lost in the seasonal swag marketplace are the folks who feel (or are found) alone during the December hubbub. April may be the cruelest month, but December 11th is the single biggest day of the year for breakups according to Facebook. (They would know!)
A dating expert in The Daily Mail points out, “Nobody wants to end things too close to Christmas so they do it now - and New Year is coming, which brings them the chance for a fresh start.” And this tracks - as “Stress over money” continues to be one of the top causes of breakups, and we know that the holidays COST. According to a study by the National Retail Federation, American adults are projected to spend…$920 per person on gifts this holiday season. I know what you are thinking: “Ugh, that’s still $530 shy of the GOOP guide recommended Gucci snake folding table ($1450).” Maybe Santa will cover the difference.
The holidays which preach tradition and togetherness can be a painful and problematic reminder for those in transition. As a good friend, family member, or colleague (we assume you fall into one of these categories), what can you do to show your support to those managing a breakup? For starters, we have to plug a gift certificate to Onward’s concierge services (email Concierge@Move-Onward.com to lock that in). But, personal biases aside, here are:
Onward's Top Ten Gifts for
Someone Launching Their New Life
Who’s ready for 2020?
1. The Tongue-in-Cheek transition gift: For someone tackling their transition with a sense of humor.
2. Nesting with comfort: For someone creating a castle of their own.
3. Turning over a new leaf: For someone celebrating growth.
4. For their new normal: For someone cultivating new habits.
5. Getting those good zzzs: For someone sick of counting sheep or Bumble matches.
6. Not The Knot: For someone who shouldn’t feel they have to wait for their “Special day” to have nice kitchen things.
7. A good book: For someone who could use an escape.
8. A night in: For someone who could use some “Me time.”
9. A new experience: For someone itching to get out there.
10. YOUR TIME: For someone who could use a friend. (Hint: it's everyone).
A coffee date, an invitation to join your family holiday celebrations, a movie marathon, a running meet-up, a phone call, a craft or hack or game night, a boozy brunch, or a stroll in the park. The holidays are so fraught as a recently single person and not feeling you have a place to go, people to celebrate with who care about you can be especially hard. A welcoming gesture (hopefully interpreted as care and not pity or taking sides in a split) of adding a place at the table and making time goes a long way to demonstrating you are part of their community regardless.
Onward is the first-ever Post-Breakup Concierge Service. We help our members, folks exiting long-term relationships, manage the physical relocation and emotional relaunch of transitioning to their new life. Book a free 15-minute concierge call now.