How To Handle Holiday Gift Giving For People With Allergies

Budgeting / By Humbled Budget

Humbled Budget Team

With over 55 years of combine experience in the Finance/Tax Industries based in the United States, Our Team of Humbled Individuals' shares their wisdom gained through experience or technical knowledge acquired through Additional Education.

Table of Contents

Introduction

The holidays can present a slew of challenges for people with food allergies. They have to find gifts for their loved ones that will be safe for them to eat and handle, which is difficult when you consider that many items on the market are made with allergens like peanuts or tree nuts. However, things don’t have to be this way.

With research and creativity, anyone can find safe gifts for their allergic family members without worrying about them getting sick at Christmas dinner.

The holidays can present a slew of challenges for people with food allergies

Food allergies are a severe issue. You can’t eat what you want, and if you’re allergic to something specific, chances are that most of the holiday food will be off-limits for you. This can cause immense anxiety when planning the perfect party or potluck at the office.

It’s essential to understand your guest’s needs and be considerate of them during this time of year when so many foods are prepared in bulk for parties and gatherings.

Don’t Set Yourself Up for Failure

You’re the individual who attempts to be friendly, helpful and accommodating in your life. You want everyone to feel comfortable around you and enjoy the time they spend with you.

That’s great. However, occasionally we can get so preoccupied with making people happy that we forget about being kinder to ourselves by not setting ourselves up for failure or disappointment.

The holidays can be stressful enough without adding more stressors into the mix. There are plenty of ways to share holiday gift-giving responsibilities so that no one has their hands full—and it doesn’t need to be done alone, either.

Food Allergies Make Holiday Gift Giving a Challenge

Food allergies are no joke; they can be dangerous and life-threatening, and they’re not just a matter of picky eating.

Food allergies are a serious, life-altering condition that makes it challenging to navigate the world.

While you may be tempted to dismiss them as picky eaters who should “eat what they’re served,” it’s essential to understand why people with food allergies need your help this holiday season—and every day of their lives.

Just because you don’t want to make special accommodations for someone else doesn’t mean that person shouldn’t get everything that makes them happy, too—and sometimes, those things involve foods that aren’t safe for most people with allergies.

Finding a gift for someone with severe food allergies doesn’t have to be challenging

It’s no secret that presents are essential in the holiday season, but if you have someone with severe food allergies, it’s important to remember that they’re not the only thing.

The holidays can be stressful enough without having to worry about what gifts to get for people who have dietary restrictions—and if you’ve ever faced this dilemma yourself, then you know how hard it is sometimes to find just the right present for someone who has a lot of restrictions on their diet.

Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered! Here are some tips for finding a great gift for someone with food allergies:

Remember other ways of showing love and support. When gifting becomes difficult because of allergies or other factors like financial limitations or physical distance from loved ones, we must remember that our actions speak louder than words.
Sometimes, those actions may even trump what could otherwise be considered an excellent present.

If I am anything at all, it is aware of my family members’ personalities (and yours, too); each person needs something different out of life. Gifts are great fun and also meaningful gestures when properly selected; however, they can often become moot points when compared to selfless acts such as babysitting an elderly relative while she watches over her sick husband during his hospitalization period after undergoing surgery last week due to a stomach cancer diagnosis several months ago while still maintaining full-time employment despite knowing firsthand how difficult things have been lately due economic struggles resulting from job loss caused by minimum wage increase implemented 12 years earlier which led directly back through inflationary policies enacted during 1964 presidential campaign cycle which then caused drastic changes

Remembering why giving matters most will help us stay focused on what matters most for those around us rather than focusing solely on ourselves when shopping or deciding upon potential gift ideas.

Only Overlook Non-Food Items

If you need help with what to get someone with food allergies, consider giving a gift card to their favorite restaurant. Gift cards for restaurants are an excellent option for non-holiday occasions as well.

If you know of a particular dish at the person’s favorite restaurant that doesn’t include any allergens, consider getting them that meal as a gift instead.

If you can’t think of anything else, they’ll appreciate just receiving cash or an extra treat to go along with their dinner out.

If the person has more than one type of allergy (for example, they’re allergic to both nuts and fish), then try ordering something from Amazon instead:

Books about allergies or cookbooks designed explicitly for people with food allergies can be great gifts.

Music CDs are another option—many now come packaged in paperboard sleeves rather than plastic ones—as are DVDs and magazines if your friend enjoys these forms of entertainment.

Finally, coupons for local attractions may also be appropriate depending on where your loved one lives and what kinds of things they enjoy doing outside.

Consider Thoughtful Stocking Stuffers Without Food.

The best stocking stuffers are small, unique, and valuable, and they should be fun and cost less than $20.

A great stocking stuffer is thoughtful, too—for example, it might be a fun Christmas ornament that your friend’s parents can put on their tree or a brand-new toy for their dog.

Stocking stuffer ideas that work well for people with allergies include:

Small decorative items like holiday socks with tassels or a Santa cap
Individually wrapped breath mints (or other healthy mints)
A little plastic bag of M&Ms (instead of the full-size bag)

It is truly the thought that counts during the holiday season and beyond

This holiday season and beyond, you can think of people with allergies by doing the following:

Consider how much their allergies might impact their ability to enjoy your gift.
Think about which foods they are allergic to and avoid giving them anything that contains those ingredients.
If you want to give them a snack or food item, check out a website like AllergyEats.com first so that you don’t provide them with something they could react negatively to (like peanuts).