Gift-Giving Guide According to the Five Love Languages

This is your guide to the perfect gift-giving according to your friends, families, and s/o’s love language. To continue on with our goal of mindful consumption throughout the holiday season, we made this list to be as waste-free as we could. 

For those that are new to the five love languages, they are physical touch, acts of service, words of affirmation, gifts, and quality time. Take the test here to find out yours! (Side note, you can definitely have more than one.) 

Your love language may be…..

Physical touch if the way you like to show love to people is through kind gestures of physical intimacy. Holding hands, arm around the shoulders, a gentle pat on the back, a kiss, cuddling, or just being physically close to the people you love. 

Words of affirmation if you seek love through verbal recognition and support from your loved ones. These people are often highly susceptible to verbal interactions and need the people they love to support them through words of love and affection. Compliments, affirmations, poems, and songs can make these people swoon.

Someone who loves Acts of Service appreciates a helping hand without asking or going out of someone’s way to show care and appreciation for them through doing things for the other person. This can be as simple as doing the dishes or folding the laundry or cooking someone a nice meal. If you love when someone intentionally makes life easier for you by doing something to help you, this may be your love language! 

Quality time. This one is pretty self-explanatory, this person wants to spend time with their loved ones and have their full attention for the duration of the time spent together. Quality time can be a time to tune in, turn off your phone, and give someone your undivided attention.

Gift-giving can be either purchased or homemade items. A bouquet of flowers, a handmade card, a present, a coffee, etc., can all be examples of wonderful gifts. This person wants to know that others are thinking about them and finding reminders of them in material objects or symbols of love. 

How to give each love language a gift they will cherish:

Physical touch

• Couples massage
• Group dance lessons 
• Weighted blanket (helps them feel comfortable and hugged in bed!) 

Words of affirmation

• Write them a poem, song, or letter
• Affirmation socks 
• Class subscription like a masterclass to have some verbal inspiration 

Quality time

• Plan a day with this person and give them your undivided attention
• Prepare some questions to ask each other in order to get to know each other better (think the We’re Not Really Strangers game) 
• Plan an at home movie or paint night just the two of you! 
• Cooking classes or art classes are a great way to spend planned quality time together

Acts of service 

• Bake or cook their favorite meal! 
• Love coupon cards (this one may sound cheesy but for those that love acts of service would appreciate it!) 
• Donate to an organization in their name 
• Plan an indoor or outdoor picnic with their favorite tunes, food, and creative pass time. 

Gift giving (this one can really encompass all the languages, but just make sure the gift is thoughtful and has them in mind because that’s the most important part). 

• Things that remind you of them don't have to be expensive or big, just specific to them! 
• Homemade gifts like earrings, a decorated picture frame, or a heartfelt card are perfect!
• Check out your local antique or thrift store for a gift! 
• Look into used books, choosing someone a book you love or you think they’ll love is an amazing gift
• If you want to try to go zero-waste think of an experience like an art class, subscription, or homemade gift.
• If you plan to purchase something try to shop at small or locally-owned businesses