Your Go-To Holiday Gift Guide for Active Adults

The holiday season is a wonderful time to show the people you love how much you care with a thoughtful present picked out just for them. It doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive – in fact, the best gifts are the ones given from the heart. Even better are gifts that support healthful living, since good health is the gift that keeps on giving!

Knowing where to start can be a challenge, so here’s some inspiration for gift ideas for active older adults in your life. You might even want to clip this and share with your own loved ones as a wish list for yourself!

Top 10 Gift Ideas for Active Adults:

• Fitness class pass. We know that being active is so important as we age, and finding new activities keeps things interesting. This gift can also double as one you give to yourself. Grab a friend and sign up together for a fitness class or sport you’ve been itching to try, like ballroom dancing or pickleball. Look at local sports clubs, parks and recreation centers, or community centers for options.
   
• Healthful food subscriptions. Eating well should be a yearlong effort, but shopping can be a chore. Make it easier by signing up for a produce-of-the-month club that will ship in-season fruits or vegetables to your loved one’s door. Or, give them a few months’ worth of a meal subscription service that will help them prepare healthy, portion-perfect meals at home.
   
• Reusable produce bags. We all know to tote our own grocery bags to the store, but what about the single-use plastic for selecting and weighing produce? Help protect the planet and make it more habitable for your grandchildren by bringing your own produce bags. You can even use them in place of a gift bag, saving even more trees!
   
• Crossword puzzle book. There is some evidence that suggests word games like crossword puzzles can help keep your brain sharp. A paperback book of crossword puzzles makes a great stocking stuffer and can be a great way to pass the time.
   
• Indoor garden. Gardening is a terrific activity that can be physical, mental and meditative. If your loved ones live in a climate where gardening needs to pause for the winter, or if they’ve downsized and no longer have a private outdoor space, gift them an indoor garden with pretty pots and grow lights so they can tend to some plants and herbs.
   

• Weighted blanket. There’s nothing better than cozying up with a warm blanket during the cold winter months. A weighted blanket has the added advantage of helping reduce anxiety and support a more restful night’s sleep.
   

• House shoes/slippers. Gifting a quality pair of house shoes has many benefits for older adults. For one, house shoes help keep floors clean, since you’re not tracking in dirt from the outside. Also, wearing shoes with a slip-resistant sole helps prevent slipping and falling. Make them fun as well as functional by choosing bold colors or animal print designs – whatever best matches the recipient’s personality.
   

• Light therapy lamp. Bring some brightness to your loved ones’ day with a light therapy lamp. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is common during the winter months when there is less sunlight. Loneliness can also creep up, especially once the holidays are over. There is some evidence that light therapy, which mimics sunlight, can help reduce some effects of SAD.
   

• Waist pack. Behold, the fanny pack is back! This functional accessory is now fashionable and a great way to keep your most important belongings with you at all times. No longer will you need to wonder where you put your glasses, cell phone or keys. It’s also a perfect pouch so you can keep your hands free while walking, biking or otherwise engaging in those healthful pursuits.
   

• Family vacation. The best holiday gifts are the ones that bring people together – and that can be purchased outside of the expensive holiday season! Take advantage of you holiday time together by planning a future family getaway for some quality bonding time across generations. It doesn’t need to be costly or time-consuming – consider finding a national park or local campsite or rent an RV and make it a mobile vacation.

No matter what your holiday plans are, remember to take some time for yourself. Carve out a few moments to reflect on all the wonderful things the year has brought, and how important it is to focus on your own health and well-being. It truly is a wonderful life!