This year’s Christmas advert from UK department store John Lewis is notable for its emotional impact and captivating storytelling. In it, a middle-aged former raver is gifted a vintage vinyl record by his son. The focus is on this fairly modest gift, which quietly speaks a language of love amid the noise and excess of the festivities.
The gift, seemingly secondhand, carries meaning far beyond its monetary value, illustrating that the social benefits of gifting are available without heavy environmental costs. This resonates with what we, in our research, have termed “mindful gifting”, where thoughtful gifts have the ability to generate immense joy and celebrate connection.
