‘Tis the season for mindful gifting, say researchers

We’ve had mindful eating, mindful consumption and mindfulness. Now a new concept has emerged, according to marketing experts – mindful gifting. 

A study led by the University of Stirling Business School introduces mindful gifting as creating a caring experience for both givers and receivers before, during and after the gifting. 

The drivers are not spend or size but the gifting impact on self, society and the environment, as well as the consequences for all parties involved. And the report’s authors say the 2025 John Lewis Christmas advert, depicting a heartwarming moment between a father and his teenage son, is the epitome of this new concept. 

The advert depicts a father and teenage son’s bonding moment on Christmas day when the uncommunicative son gifts his dad a vinyl copy of the 1990 club hit Where Love Lives, taking the dad back to his youth. 

Christmas spend and waste soaring

The study, which looked at 85 articles on gift giving and mindful consumption, says that mindful gifting stems from an awareness about caring — of oneself and the recipient, but also of wider communities and nature. Underpinning the concept are sustainable, ethical, and consumer well-being principles, which are fundamental to mindful consumption, say the study’s authors. 

It’s no coincidence that mindful gifting is becoming popular during a cost-of-living crisis and at a time when spend and waste in the run-up to Christmas are soaring, say the academics behind the study. 

Christmas shopping will ramp up this Black Friday, 28 November, a retail sale event that began in the USA the Friday after Thanksgiving and is now popular in the UK.  British Christmas gifters spent an average of £320 on gifts in 2023 and that is set to rise to £514 each in 2025, according to Finder, which reports that last year three in five Britons (58%) received an unwanted gift at Christmas. 

Dr Ines Branco-Illodo, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Stirling Business School and lead author of the study, said: “There has been a lot of literature published about mindful consumption, but nobody has joined the dots yet on the effects of mindfulness on gifting.  

“Mindful gifting is not about restricting gifting but about curbing its excesses and engaging in the behaviour with greater intentionality and awareness. So, for a son to gift a vinyl record, one that he knows his father likes, has impact for both of them. It goes way beyond monetary value. The John Lewis advert strengthens the message that the best gift can speak louder than words.” 

She added: “At a time when climate change is accelerating and many households are struggling with financial anxiety, the idea that having more things means greater happiness is increasingly hard to justify.” 

Power of a thoughtful gift

The launch of the John Lewis Christmas advert is a highlight for marketers and consumers. This year’s, by agency Saatchi & Saatchi, is racking up millions of views on the retailer’s YouTube channel. 

Rosie Hanley, Director of Brand for John Lewis, said: “At John Lewis, we understand the power of a thoughtful gift, and we hope the ad will inspire our customers to find the gift that articulates their feelings, allowing the present itself to speak volumes where words may sometimes fall short." 

The study is a collaboration between the University of Stirling, University of Minho, Portugal, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA and West Virginia University, USA. 

Defining and Delineating Mindful Gifting: A Review and Research Agenda is published in Psychology & Marketing 

Christmas gifting facts

• 3 in 5 Brits (58%) received an unwanted gift at Christmas, which is around 31 million adults. 
  The total spend on unwanted gifts at Christmas is estimated to be £1.27 billion.  
  The average value of unwanted gifts received per person was £41. The most common unwanted gifts are soap, bath bombs and moisturisers. 

Source: Finder.com 

• 36% of consumers feel financially stressed about festive expenses and 33% say their stress is higher than last year. Source: Clearpay.
• The additional waste generated during Christmas – estimated at 30% more than usual in the UK – could fill 50,000 double-decker buses, according to Waste Direct.