We all have high expectations when it comes to gifts 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?" Let's be honest: timeless classics like socks or a T-shirt are a bit boring these days. A little more creativity when choosing a gift and taking into account the individual needs of parents, grandparents, siblings and friends will help to ensure that the recipient really enjoys the birthday or Christmas present for a long time. The following 31 gift ideas for every budget keep your back fit, strengthen your muscles, relieve tension in your body, reduce stress, stimulate your circulation, improve your general well-being and help you relax.
And the best part: Many of the tips on our list are great as last-minute Christmas gifts.
1. YOGA GIFTS
VOUCHER FOR A YOGA COURSE
With a yoga course, you are giving the gift of pure relaxation and health. Yoga relieves stress and keeps you fit. The variety of exercises relaxes the entire body and strengthens the muscles. The associated breathing techniques also help to reduce stress. It is important what skills the person you want to give the course to has. Yoga courses are available for beginners, advanced students and professionals. The cost of a yoga class with an experienced teacher is between 20 and 80 euros. The more hours a course has, the cheaper the individual lessons become. Of course, there are also online yoga courses for at home. This cheaper option gives you access to a large selection of video courses and live sessions.
No matter whether you are a yoga beginner, advanced, man or woman: all yoga students can make good use of the following gift tips.
Yoga is not only good for your back, but also for your mind and soul.
A YOGA MAT
The yoga mat is the central element of yoga. Good yoga mats are available for as little as 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 when choosing a yoga mat, such as material, thickness, size and feel. Most mats are around 180 centimeters long and around 60 centimeters wide. You can use your body length + 10 centimeters as a scale. A standard yoga mat should also be around 4 millimeters thick.
A YOGA BLOCK
For anyone who already has a mat and does yoga regularly, a yoga block is a great little Christmas present. Important: The block should be stable and wide enough. A yoga block made of cork or bamboo is also visually appealing.
A YOGA CUSHION
Another useful Christmas present: the yoga cushion. It is important for meditation practice and helps you to adopt and maintain a comfortable and stable posture during meditation. You can get yoga cushions for between 22 and 60 euros. Common shapes are round and half-moon. Yoga cushions are usually filled with spelt or buckwheat husks. You should find out the recipient's personal preferences in advance. Then the success of this gift is guaranteed.
A YOGA BOOK
There are dozens of yoga books on the market. From the history of yoga to yoga cookbooks, everything is there. It is best to seek advice from a specialist retailer to find the right book. Our tip: “Yoga – the big practical handbook for beginners and 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
Do you have friends or relatives who sit a lot because of their office job? Then taking part in a "back fitness" course is a very useful Christmas present for them! These special training courses are a good way to relieve the symptoms of back and neck problems or to prevent back pain. All fitness studios offer these training programs, but membership in the respective studio is often required. However, many providers make it easy to arrange a trial lesson.
Fitness courses 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 “back fitness” courses. The cost for a course lasting 8 to 12 hours is usually between 80 and 120 euros per person.
Tip: All statutory health insurance companies usually contribute to the costs of so-called health courses such as back training. Insured persons thus receive a portion of the costs for the courses back.
AQUAFIT
Aqua Fit is water gymnastics that is gentle on the joints. The "weightless" training in the water uses all muscles, but does not put too much strain on them. Aqua Fit also improves your fitness and energy in everyday life.
STRONG BACK
Strong Back Training specifically trains the deep muscles and strengthens the spine, thereby preventing posture and back problems. This training method is particularly suitable for people who work in an office to train their backs in the long term.
Very good as a counterbalance to the rigid daily work routine 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 any additional equipment. The specific exercises for strengthening and mobilization are very suitable as a counterbalance to the rigid daily work routine in the office.
PILATES
Pilates – developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s – 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 permanently improved.
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, preventing the causes that lead to the pain. The following gift tips will help improve everyday office life and get more exercise while working - even when sitting. This can prevent tension and permanently prevent back pain. Useful Christmas gifts for everyone who works in an office.
ERGONOMIC KEYBOARD
Long-term use of the wrong keyboard leads to sore hands and later to tension in the shoulder and neck area. An ergonomic keyboard can prevent these problems. An ergonomic keyboard allows the hands to be positioned naturally and thus allows pain-free working. It is important that the palms of the hands rest on a cushion (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 extremely 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 spread to the shoulder and neck area. An ergonomic mouse prevents this problem. It is symmetrically shaped and thus promotes natural hand position. Cost: 20 to 80 euros.
ACTIVE OFFICE STANDING DESK
Admittedly, the Aeris Active Office Desk standing desk doesn't quite fit under the Christmas tree or on the birthday table. But it's perfect for the office and home office. With the height-adjustable double desk, you're giving away an elegant and space-saving standing-sitting solution for a modern home office. Alternating between standing and sitting promotes movement while working and effectively prevents back pain. Studies have proven this positive effect: less back pain and muscle tension, and better concentration.
AERIS MUVMAT STANDING MAT
The Aeris Muvmat standing mat is the perfect Christmas present for anyone who works a lot and for long periods standing up. The anti-fatigue mat is the ideal addition to any standing workstation. Standing on hard floors means hard work for the body and back. The Aeris Muvmat has a special topographic 3D structure. This activates the foot reflex zones, keeps the body always in slight movement and relaxes the muscles.
The Aeris Active Office Desk and the Aeris Muvmat in combination. These ergonomic helpers keep you moving in the office and your back healthy.
LITERATURE: BOOK ACTIVE OFFICE (WORKPLACE DESIGN)
The Active Office book "The Workplace as a Space for Movement" offers incentives and concepts for designing office and home office workstations ergonomically and getting enough movement in everyday office life. This revolutionary workplace concept helps you work healthier, fitter and more productively. A good Christmas present for colleagues, relatives and friends who spend a lot of time in their office chair.
Tip: Everything about ergonomics in the workplace and many other interesting articles can be found here in our Aeris Magazine
4. THE ULTIMATE GIFT: AN ERGONOMIC OFFICE CHAIR
THE AERIS SWOPPER
The ultimate Christmas present 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 has the revolutionary Aeris 3D technology invented especially for it and therefore offers 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 office chair Aeris Swopper strengthens the back muscles through its 3D movement.
5. MASSAGE GIFTS
If you want to give your parents, your partner or your colleagues pure relaxation, then a professional massage is the perfect gift. With this Christmas present you can give your loved ones a break from everyday life. Depending on the massage technique , the price for a 45-minute massage is between 45 and 70 euros. However, there are numerous different massages and treatments. The following are best suited 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 on the body. The massage with the stones, which are around 60 degrees hot, and aromatic oil loosens the muscles and releases blockages in the back. This massage is particularly recommended in winter. A voucher for a hot stone massage is therefore an ideal Christmas present.
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 of the body's senses.
HERBAL STAMP MASSAGE
In this traditional Asian technique, cotton bags are placed over the body. The small, warmed bags are filled with herbs, vegetable oils and dried fruit 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 idea with which you really can't go wrong: the classic back massage. It prevents the number one common problem, back pain. The special massage technique stretches and loosens the muscles in the neck and shoulder area.
THAI-MASSAGE
Probably the most well-known massage technique from the Far East. Be careful if you want to give this massage as a gift! You can't be squeamish with a Thai massage. The masseurs work with their own body weight, with their hands, elbows and even their feet. But one thing is certain with a Thai massage: even the deepest tension in the back will be relieved.
6. RELAXATION GIFTS FOR HOME
If you don't want to spend too much money on massages or back fitness courses, but still want to give your loved ones a little treat to relax their backs this Christmas 2021, then these gift ideas for home might help you.
ESSENTIAL OILS
Essential oils have a relaxing effect on the muscles and nervous system. In addition, the different smells stimulate our senses and help to reduce everyday stress.
NOTE: Essential oils can trigger allergies and irritate the skin when applied pure. 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 lavender oil, for example. It is best to seek advice from a specialist retailer or an aromatherapist to find the right gift for men or women. You will also receive advice and information about possible allergies there.
BATH ADDITIVES
A relaxing bath is good for your general well-being and also relaxes your back muscles.
An inexpensive Christmas present: bath additives made 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 are particularly popular. To make the right choice, you should know the recipient's personal preferences and possible allergies.
WARMING OINTMENTS
For those who don't like getting into the bath, warming ointments are a good gift idea. These special creams penetrate deep into the muscles. Tensions are released and pain is alleviated.
HEAT PATCHES
Heat patches have a similar effect to heat ointments. If you want to give someone with back pain these special patches for Christmas, it's best to get advice from a pharmacist.
SPELT PILLOWS
The spelt pillow is a tried and tested classic among Christmas gifts. But don't worry: this is not a gift just for old people. Quite the opposite! Even children love spelt pillows. Warmed in the oven or on the radiator, it helps to 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 can give a Christmas present with long-term benefits.
A fascia roller is a useful gift for daily use. However, the fascia roller only alleviates the symptoms and does not combat 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 is used to relieve muscle tension and reduce pain, as well as increase the mobility of muscles and joints. A black roll is approximately 30 x 15 cm in size. You should expect to pay between 20 and 40 euros for this gift.
HEATED BLANKET
With prices ranging from 60 to 150 euros, an electric blanket is not exactly the cheapest Christmas present. However, an electric blanket provides heat at the touch of a button and evenly warms the entire back and muscles. This relieves back pain, tension and cramps.
FOOT MASSAGE ROLLER
Now you might be wondering how a foot massage roller comes into our Christmas gift tips for back health? It's very simple: by stimulating the foot reflex zones, nerve pathways throughout the body are stimulated and the muscles are relaxed. This Christmas gift is a great tip, especially for people who like foot massages. Even if you're on a "tight" budget: you can get foot massage rollers for under 20 euros.
BAREFOOT SHOES
Humans are not made for shoes and hard floors per se. The lack of cushioning and support for the feet in barefoot shoes means that the muscles in the feet and legs are trained and posture is permanently improved. This also has a positive effect on the back. Important: If you decide to give barefoot shoes as a Christmas present to parents, children or friends, you should know their personal "style" preferences. It is better if barefoot shoes are already on their Christmas wish list.
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. You can get a good acupressure mat for between 35 and 90 euros. When using an acupressure mat, you lie down on the mat covered with spikes. This promotes blood circulation and relieves muscle tension.
No matter which Christmas gifts you ultimately decide on, 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!
