Holiday gifts for essential workers

It has been a tough almost two years for individuals working in industries that can’t go remote or drastically suffer when done remotely. Pay and accommodations haven’t necessary grown to meet the added stress of doing this front line work. Yet so many of these individuals have continued to show up and do the jobs that provide support to us all.

Since we can’t all expand our budgets to cover all the presents, consider who in your life has provided this type of essential support to you, your family, or others that could use extra attention this year. Here are some examples to get your creative juices flowing:

- skip the Secret Santa gift exchange between coworkers and pull your cash to give to the facilities staff who have kept your office safe for everyone to return to work
- a basket of water & snacks for the USPS, UPS, and FedEx workers delivering packages to your door
- go in with fellow classroom parents to gift a full home cleaning or a subscription + gift card to a grocery delivery service

Another angle worth considering is how you interact with front line workers. It costs absolutely nothing to be extra polite and considerate every single time you interact with a cashier, nurse, or delivery person. Make it your priority to be the bright spot in that person’s day. Think about how you can serve them in your interaction, no matter how small. While monetary compensation is important in any job, making someone feel valuable and seen in the work that they do goes a long way!