We all have high expectations of a gift for our loved ones. But what are meaningful gifts? Our tip: Do something good for your loved one's back. 31 gift ideas for a healthier back, more well-being and relaxation.
We often ask ourselves the same question, "What are useful gifts for my friends and family?" Hand on heart: timeless classics like socks or a T-shirt have become a bit boring. A little more creativity in gift selection, as well as taking into account the individual needs of parents, grandparents, siblings and friends, helps to really give the recipient a long-term joy with the birthday or Christmas gift. The following 31 gift ideas for every budget keep the back fit, strengthen the muscles, relieve tension in the body, reduce stress, stimulate the circulation, improve the general well-being and help with relaxation.
And best of all, many of the tips on our list make great last-minute Christmas gifts.
1. YOGA GIFTS
VOUCHER FOR A YOGA COURSE
With a yoga course you give away pure relaxation and health. Yoga offers stress relief and keeps you fit. The variety of exercises relaxes the entire body and strengthens the muscles. In addition, the associated breathing techniques help to reduce stress. What is important is the skill level of the person to whom you want to give the course participation. Yoga classes are available for beginners, advanced and professionals. The cost of a yoga class with an experienced teacher ranges from 20 to 80 euros. The more hours a course has, the cheaper the individual lessons become. Of course, there are also online yoga classes for home. With this less expensive option, you get access to a large selection of video classes as well as live sessions.
Whether you're a yoga beginner, advanced, male or female, the next gift tips can be put to good use by all yoga students.
Yoga is not only good for the back, but also for the mind and soul.
A YOGA MAT
The yoga mat is the central element in yoga. Good yoga mats are already available from 20 euros. Depending on the manufacturer, the price can go up to 120 euros. It is important that you pay attention to a few details in the yoga mat, such as material, thickness, size and feel. Most mats have a length of about 180 centimeters and a width of about 60 centimeters. As a measure you can take the body length + 10 centimeters. In addition, a standard yoga mat should be about 4 millimeters thick.
A YOGA CLOTH
For all those who already have a mat and do yoga regularly, a yoga block is suitable as a small Christmas gift. Important: The block should be stable and sufficiently wide. A yoga block made of cork or bamboo is also visually appealing.
A YOGA PILLOW
Also a useful Christmas gift: the yoga cushion. It is important for the meditation practice and helps to take and maintain a comfortable and stable posture during meditation. You can get yoga pillows between 22 and 60 euros. Common shapes are round and half-moon. Most yoga pillows are filled with spelt or buckwheat husk. Here you should find out in advance the personal preferences of the presentee. Then success with this gift is guaranteed.
A YOGA BOOK
There are dozens of yoga books on the market. From the history of yoga to yoga cookbooks, there is everything. It's best to get advice at a specialty store to find the right book for you. Our tip: "Yoga - the great practical handbook for beginners & advanced practitioners". This yoga standard work contains over 120 exercises with 700 step-by-step pictures and is therefore ideal for yogis of all abilities.
2. FITNESS GIFTS
PARTICIPATION IN SPECIAL FITNESS COURSES
You have friends or relatives who sit a lot due to their office job? Then a participation in a "Rückenfit" course is a very meaningful Christmas gift for them! These special training courses are a great way to relieve back and neck problems or prevent back pain. All fitness studios have these training programs on offer, however, a membership in the respective studio is often necessary here. However, with many providers it is possible to arrange a trial lesson without any problems.
Fitness classes specifically designed for the back strengthen the back muscles and help with back problems.
As an alternative to fitness studios, numerous adult education centers offer "Rückenfit" courses. Typically, the cost of a course of 8 to 12 hours is between 80 and 120 euros per person.
Tip: All statutory health insurers generally contribute to the costs of so-called health courses such as back training. Insured persons are thus reimbursed for part of the costs of the courses.
AQUA FIT
Aqua Fit is water gymnastics that is easy on the joints. Due to the "weightless" training in the water, all muscles are stressed, but not too much. In addition, Aqua Fit improves fitness and energy in everyday life.
STRONG BACK
Strong Back Training specifically trains the deep muscles and strengthens the spine, preventing posture and back problems. Especially for people with office jobs this training method is suitable to train the back in the long term.
Very good as a balance to the rigid workday in the office
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BACK EXERCISES
A voucher for a classic gymnastics course is always a useful gift. Specially designed for the back, the muscles are specifically strengthened without additional equipment. The specific exercises for strengthening and mobilization are very well suited as a balance to the rigid workday in the office.
PILATES
Pilates - developed in the 1920s by Joseph Pilates - is a very popular training method, especially among women. The mix of Asian martial arts, yoga and gymnastics elements specifically trains the abdominal and back muscles. Posture is improved permanently.
WOYO
Woyo training combines a modern fitness workout with yoga. Muscle building and posture improvement, combined with a positive body feeling and improved well-being.
3. ERGONOMIC GIFTS FOR THE OFFICE
What is better than fighting the symptoms, i.e. back pain? That's right, already preventing the causes that lead to the pain. The following gift tips help to improve everyday office life and get more movement during work - even when sitting. This can prevent tension and prevent back pain permanently. Sensible Christmas gifts for everyone who works in the office.
ERGONOMIC KEYBOARD
The permanent use of an incorrect keyboard leads to aching hands and later to tension in the shoulder and neck area. With an ergonomic keyboard you can prevent these problems. An ergonomic keyboard allows a natural position of the hands and thus pain-free work. It is important that the heels of the hands rest on a pad (see picture). If you want to give an ergonomic keyboard as a Christmas present, you will have to invest between 50 and 150 euros.
An ergonomic keyboard like this one from Logitech, can prevent tension in the arms, shoulders and neck muscles.
ERGONOMIC MOUSE
Similar to the keyboard, the mouse is also enormously important for back-friendly and pain-free work at the desk. An unnatural hand position when using a conventional mouse causes pain in the hand, which can quickly extend to the shoulder and neck area. An ergonomic mouse prevents this problem. It is symmetrically shaped and thus promotes natural hand posture. Cost: 20 to 80 euros.
ACTIVE OFFICE STANDING DESK
Granted, the Aeris Active Office Desk standing desk doesn't quite fit under the Christmas tree or on the birthday table. But it fits perfectly in the office and home office. With the height-adjustable double desk, you're giving away the elegant and space-saving sit-stand solution for a contemporary equipped home office. Alternating between standing and sitting promotes movement during work and effectively prevents back pain. Studies prove this positive effect: less back pain and muscle tension as well as better concentration.
AERIS MUVMAT STANDING MAT
The Aeris Muvmat standing mat is the perfect Christmas present for all those who work a lot and for a long time standing up. The anti-fatigue mat is the ideal addition to any standing workstation. After all, standing on hard floors means hard labor for the body and the back. The Aeris Muvmat has a special topographical 3D structure. This activates the foot reflex zones, keeps the body always in a slight movement and thus relaxes the muscles.
The Aeris Active Office Desk and the Aeris Muvmat in combination. The ergonomic helpers keep the office moving and the back healthy.
LITERATURE: BOOK ACTIVE OFFICE (WORKPLACE DESIGN)
The Active Office book "Der Arbeitsplatz als Bewegungsraum" (The workplace as a space for movement) offers incentives and concepts to design office and home office workplaces ergonomically and to move sufficiently in everyday office life. This revolutionary workplace concept helps to work healthier, fitter and more productive. A good Christmas gift for colleagues, relatives and friends who spend a lot of time in their office chair.
Tip: Everything about ergonomics at the workplace and many other interesting articles can be found here in our Aeris Magazine
4. THE GIFT PAR EXCELLENCE: AN ERGONOMIC OFFICE CHAIR
THE AERIS SWOPPER
The non-plus-ultra Christmas gift for more well-being and back health is the legendary Aeris Swopper active office chair. The ergonomic office chair was developed for one big goal: more movement while sitting. Because too little movement makes you sick. And how could you say to your loved ones at Christmas "You mean a lot to me and I want to do something good for you" than with a chair that promotes long-term health?! The Aeris Swopper desk chair features revolutionary Aeris 3D technology invented specifically for it, providing movement in all three dimensions. This makes the Aeris Swopper ideal for long and concentrated sitting in the office or home office.
You can discover the Aeris Swopper in detail here.
The ergonomic Aeris Swopper office chair strengthens the back muscles with its 3D movement.
5. MASSAGE GIFTS
If you want to give pure relaxation to your parents, your partner or your colleagues, a professional massage is the perfect gift. With this Christmas gift you give your loved ones a time out from everyday life. Depending on the massage technique, prices for a 45-minute massage range from 45 to 70 euros. However, there are many different massages and applications. The following are best for relaxing the back muscles:
HOT STONE MASSAGE
The hot stone massage loosens the back muscles and releases blockages.
During the hot stone massage, volcanic stones are placed on acupuncture points of the body. The massage with the approx. 60 degree hot stones as well as aroma oil loosens the muscles and releases blockages in the back. This massage is especially recommended in the winter time. A voucher for a hot stone massage is therefore an ideal Christmas gift.
AROMA OIL MASSAGE
Here, various essential oils are massaged deep into the skin and muscles. The individual scents have different effects on the body. In addition to relieving tension and pain, the aroma oil massage also stimulates all the senses of the body.
HERBAL STAMP MASSAGE
In this traditional Asian technique, cotton bags are selectively passed over the body. The small, heated bags are filled with herbs, vegetable oils and dried fruits and release active ingredients into the muscles during the massage. The herbal stamp massage relieves joint and back pain as well as sore muscles and stress symptoms such as headaches.
CLASSIC BACK MASSAGE
A gift tip with which you actually can not go wrong: The classic back massage. It prevents the number 1 common disease, back pain. The special massage technique stretches and loosens the muscles in the neck and shoulder area.
THAI MASSAGE
Probably the most famous massage technique from the Far East. Attention, if you want to give this massage as a gift! Thai massage is not to be squeamish. The masseurs work with their own body weight, hands, elbows and even feet. But one thing is for sure with Thai massage: even the deepest tension in the back will be released.
6. RELAXATION GIFTS FOR HOME
If you don't want to spend too much money on massages or back-fit classes, but still want to give your loved ones the gift of relaxation for their backs with a little something this Christmas 2021, then maybe these gift ideas for the home will help.
ETHERIC OILS
Essential oils have a relaxing effect on the muscles and nervous system. In addition, the various scents stimulate our senses and thus help to relieve everyday stress.
NOTICE: Essential oils applied pure can cause allergies and irritate the skin. It is therefore best to add these oils drop by drop to a carrier oil (e.g. almond oil). An exception and very well tolerated oil is for example lavender oil. For this, it is best to seek advice from a specialist shop or an aromatherapist in order to find the right gift for your husband or wife. There you will also receive advice and information regarding possible allergies.
BATH ADDITIVES
A relaxing bath is good for the general well-being and also relaxes the back muscles.
An inexpensive Christmas gift: bath additives from medicinal herbs. These are very good for back pain. A 15-20 minute full bath with medicinal herbs relaxes the muscles and reduces stress. Bath additives made from lemon balm, sage or rosemary, for example, are particularly popular. To make the right choice, you should know the personal preferences and any allergies of the recipient.
WARMING OINTMENTS
For those who are not so fond of getting into the bath, warming ointments are a good gift tip. These special creams penetrate deep into the muscles. Tension is released and pain is relieved.
HEAT PLASTER
Heat plasters also have a similar effect to heat ointments. If you would like to give such special patches to someone with back pain for Christmas, it is best to ask for advice at the pharmacy.
DINKELKISSEN
The spelt pillow is a time-honored classic among Christmas gifts. But don't worry: this is not a gift just for old people. On the contrary! Even children love spelt pillows. Warmed in the oven or on the heater, it helps relax the neck and back muscles.
7. LITTLE HELPERS - GIFTS FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
The "little helpers in everyday life" are a great gift idea for daily use. With these tools you give a Christmas gift with long-term benefits.
A fascia roller is a useful gift for a daily use. However, the fascia roller only relieves the symptoms and does not fight the causes of back problems.
FASCIA ROLLER
A fascia roll, or black roll, is a roll made of hard foam. Used in various exercises, it serves to relieve muscle tension and reduce pain, as well as increase the mobility of muscles and joints. A Blackroll is about 30 x 15 cm in size.In terms of price, you have to count with 20 to 40 euros for this gift.
HEAT COVER
With prices ranging from 60 to 150 euros, an electric blanket is not exactly the cheapest Christmas gift. However, an electric blanket provides heat at the touch of a button and so evenly warms the entire back and muscles. Back pain, tension and cramps are thus relieved.
FOOT MASSAGE ROLLER
Now you may be wondering how a foot massage roller gets into our Christmas gift tips for back health? It's simple: by stimulating the foot reflex zones, nerve pathways throughout the body are stimulated, thereby relaxing muscles. Especially for people who like foot massages, this Christmas gift is a great tip. Even on a "tight" budget: you can get foot massage rollers for under 20 euros.
BAREFOOT SHOES
Man per se is not made for shoes and hard floors. The absence of cushioning and support for the feet in barefoot shoes leads to the fact that the muscles in the feet and legs are trained and the posture is permanently improved. This also has a positive effect on the back. Attention: If you decide to buy barefoot shoes as a Christmas gift for parents, children or friends, you should know the personal "style" preferences. It is better if barefoot shoes are already on their wish list for Christmas.
ACUPRESSURE MAT
Acupressure mats are very trendy! Accordingly, the spiky mats are likely to be found frequently under the Christmas tree as a gift at Christmas 2021. A good acupressure mat you get between 35 and 90 euros. When using an acupressure mat, you lie down on the spiked mat. This promotes blood circulation and relieves muscle tension.
No matter what Christmas gifts you choose in the end. We hope that our gift tips for more well-being will help you choose the right Christmas gift and wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas!
