Holiday Gift of the Year | Jigsaw Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles of every personal interest imaginable are on the top of everyone’s gift giving list this year.

One of those new hobbies perfect for keeping kids busy is working on jigsaw puzzles. This quiet form of recreation is in the midst of a revival, as people seek creative ways to fill their time.

Universally loved pastime that has survived the ages. Jigsaw puzzles appeal to the young and old alike and are available in designs to peak anyone’s special interests.

Delight your home-bound friends and family with a special made to order jigsaw puzzle not available in stores.

The perfect pandemic survival activity for stress-reducing fun that the whole family can participate. Keep your mind sharp and engaged with a fun jigsaw puzzle. Create a sense of accomplishment safely at home.

Solving a jigsaw puzzle is a great way to boost brain health on your own or with a partner. You’ll exercise your abilities in spatial reasoning and visualization to imagine the final image before you’ve completed the puzzle. It’s also a great time to socialize with others, which also improves cognitive health.
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry last year, looked at 19,100 people and found that the more people engaged with word and number puzzles, the better they did on attention, memory and reasoning tests.
Puzzles are a great family activity or solo pastime. Whether your puzzle of choice is a 1,000-piece jigsaw, the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle, a wood brain teaser, or a 3D mechanical puzzle, doesn’t really matter because all puzzles share one key element, they power your brain.

It’s hard to go wrong with giving jigsaw puzzles as a gift. Pick a great image that appeals to the gift recipient and choose either a regular 500 piece puzzle or a more challenging 1,000 piece version.

With certain people it’s hard to buy gifts. Clothing especially is tough as you have to know the persons size, color preferences and style. Puzzles on the other hand are universally loved.

During tough times, puzzles were a great distraction, both in the past and now. According to Puzzle Warehouse, puzzles offer an escape as well as an opportunity to succeed, albeit in a modest way — especially during the Great Depression, when unemployment rates climbed above 25 percent. Puzzles provided amusement when restaurants and nightclubs were out of reach for most people — something they’re also doing today.

Jigsaw puzzle box take up no more space than a book yet can be shared with the whole family. Spread out on a coffee table a jigsaw puzzle can be enjoyed by the entire family over a holiday break. Finish one jigsaw puzzle, pack it neatly back in its box and pull out another one.

Favorite puzzles can be brought out year after year or traded with other puzzle fans.

If you do it regularly, you’ll improve visual-spatial reasoning, which helps with driving a car, packing, using a map, learning and following dance moves, and a whole host of other things. Jigsaw puzzles are a great meditation tool and stress reliever.