I am spending the holidays in Portugal this year and, even though I am in love with the warm lights, the smell of chestnuts and the tolerable cold temperatures; the few times I have been to shopping malls I have seen people holding many, many bags in their hands from Zara Home, Pepe Jeans, Sephora, Primark, Foot Locker and other big shops.
It was shocking to me somehow because I feel that every year people start questioning more and more this idea of spending a lot of money to buy a gift for someone as a way of showing affection.
Perhaps I live in a bubble, but I feel that this is the case for many people from my generation within my social circles.
However, I must admit that I love giving gifts on Christmas, on special occasions or on any random Tuesday, to be honest. I feel that it is a way of saying: I thought of you! But for me, at least for the last few years, this does not necessarily imply spending a lot of money feeding these big corporations in order to buy non-unique gifts.
There are other ways to use gifts as your love language this Christmas in a more sustainable way so, I wanted to create this guide to share useful ideas you can use no matter where you are, plus some local recommendations to put them into action if you are in Lisbon.
Consumables
There is something magical about knowing that your best friend’s favorite coffee is Brazilian or that your aunt’s favorite type of tea is rooibos. So, why do we feel the need to go over the top and spend hundreds of eruros on a random scarf to add to their scarf collection?
It doesn’t take too much money or effort to give away something that we know for sure the receiver will like and use. I often feel that this type of gift screams, “I know you, I pay attention to you and I know what you like,” and I find it difficult to think of a better way to show your love and appreciation for someone. Plus, every time that person drinks the coffee or tea you gave them, they will think of you!
This is also a perfect opportunity to support the locals, if you’re in Lisbon two of my go-to places for these types of gifts are Loja Portuguesa do Chá and Perola do Chaimite. These shops have been in Lisbon for decades and their shop owners are always happy to help you and guide you when shopping for gifts. And, of course their stock isn’t limited to tea and coffee, you can find some beautiful accessories for tea or coffee drinkers, and unique gift sets that will make up for an unforgettable gift.
Arts and crafts
I find that the perfect place to find these during the holiday season in Portugal are Christmas markets. Although Christmas markets can offer a wide array of local but also mass-produced products in other countries, I feel that in Portugal most markets focus on showcasing local talent and creativity.
Two markets you shouldn’t miss near Lisbon are Almada Christmas Market and Sintra Christmas Market and some of the things you can find in their stalls are candles, soaps, make up, perfumes, essential oils, paintings, prints and sculptures. Plus, these markets are open until late December or early January so, if someone’s gift slipped your mind for Christmas, you’re still on time!
DIY
Do you remember how your parents would keep and show off all the little paintings and drawings you used to make for them when you were a child? Contemplating my lack of skills to create such drawings now that I’m an adult, I think that one of the reasons they kept them was because there is something beautiful in giving someone a self-made gift because it says: I invested time making something for you.
With the super fast-paced lifestyle most of us lead nowadays, this is one of the most meaningful things you can offer someone.
Some ideas of little things you can do at home for an affordable price and that won’t take you super long include candles, cakes, cookies, knitted items, soap or bath bombs and plant cuttings. There are plenty of ideas you can look for on Pinterest and regarding supplies, there are many shops where you can get materials for whatever you want to create. One of my favorites is called Ponto das Artes and has four different stores around Lisbon.
Experiences
Oftentimes there are things that we do not buy for ourselves even if we have the money: when was the last time you booked a weekend away in a spa with everything included? I have never done that for myself but I really appreciated it when I received it as a gift.
I think one of the main reasons why these escapades are becoming more popular as a gift is because you can decide when you want to enjoy them and because most of these experiences have been marketed as a luxury but actually, they are very accessible through offer websites.
Besides websites like Odisseias and Mygon where you can get experiences with discounted prices, there are other unique activities offered by locals that might take you a bit longer to find but that will be worth it. Two examples that I can fully recommend include Puppy Yoga where you get to have a yoga lesson surrounded by puppies and support local shelters, and the other one are the cooking classes from Time Out Market where I learned how to make amazing pad thai a couple years ago.
Pro tip: Want to make the experience hyper special? Buy the experience for two and join your loved one!
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See more about Lisbon here in Dispatches’ archives.
Mónica da Silva is half-Venezuelan, half Portuguese and has lived in Venezuela, Portugal, Spain and Germany. She has studied linguistics and has a Bachelor’s Degree in European Studies. Besides contributing to Dispatches, she works remotely as an English teacher, which allows her to be on the move as often as she wants.
