Gift-giving is common among all human cultures, serving as a glue for social solidarity. By giving gifts, you’re engaging in an ancient behaviour that makes us human by growing and sustaining our relationships. Virtually any object, anything you find in a store, can be a gift. The reasons to give someone a gift are wide-ranging – to express appreciation and care, to show how thankful you are, to celebrate special events, to reward a job well done, etc. Selecting the perfect gift isn’t always easy because the options are seemingly infinite. The last thing you want is to pick a gift that will eventually be tossed away, returned, or, worse, regifted.
Gifts can bring people closer or tear them apart. If you want to learn how to give better gifts, here are some tips and tactics to ensure your recipient smiles with genuine surprise and delight.
Don’t Leave Your Shopping to The Last Minute
If you’re like everyone else, you probably wait until the last minute to do your shopping, but this can be a very dangerous habit. Even if you find the products you want, you’ll have to fight your way through the crowds. If you leave it a little too late, your shopping will only cause tension and anxiety. It would be best to plan in advance by writing down your ideas as they come to you. For example, a bottle of wine can speak volumes to the recipient, reminding them of beautiful memories and helping them create new ones. A bottle bag compliments your gift and will save you time wrapping. Don’t write on the label so that the recipient can reuse it.
Before you embark on the road of mindless shopping, stop for a moment and ask yourself what the people in your life want. If you’re out shopping with your mom and marvel at a necklace or your significant other comments how totally rad it would be to take a kickboxing class, file that information away. Irrespective of the season or occasion, it’s better to shop sooner rather than later. Keep a gift list and write down each time your mother/father/friend/significant other expresses an interest in an item or a hobby so you’ll always have ideas to draw upon. There are always little things throughout the year your loved one will mention they want but will never buy for themselves.
Take A Minute to Remember It’s The Thought That Counts
Contrary to popular opinion, not every gift has to be life-changing. Before you open a single browser on your tab, remember that it’s not so much about the gift you give but about how much love you put into gifting. The recipient doesn’t appreciate the value of the gift but its thoughtfulness. The point is you shouldn’t worry about how your gift compares to others but rather about the idea and thought. You don’t have to spend an enormous amount of money for the gift to be meaningful. For example, you can save a couple of photos from the recipient’s social media profile and make a collage that you can print on a blanket so the recipient will be wrapped up in love.
Needless to say, everyone has that one person in their life who is hard to buy for. Some people can be impossible to shop for, so it’s not a good idea to wait until the last minute. Maybe they’re not at all materialistic or insist on choosing the gift themselves. When you present a gift to this type of person, include the receipt in case the gift isn’t their style. If you’re giving gifts over the holiday season, we hope they’ll be appreciated. Gift exchanges are anything but wasteful and impractical. Keep in mind that a true gift doesn’t require acknowledgement.
Prioritise Feasibility or Usefulness Over Desirability and Excellence
A gift is an unexpected and memorable gesture that shows genuine appreciation. You see the recipients’ eyes light up, and you’re delighted. Instead of striving for a big reaction, you should better focus on usefulness. A useless gift is a burden on the receiver, not to mention a waste of your money. They’ll be happier with something that fits into their lives. For example, if your friend is learning how to play the guitar, get them a new one. There are a ton of functional items to choose from, which inspire genuine delight and appreciation. Take the pressure off finding something that’ll leave the recipient speechless and think about how they’ll use the gift two weeks or two months down the road.
All in all, think about a gift that would be the most meaningful to the recipient. Some people find it hard to receive gifts. Maybe they love giving gifts, but they hate receiving them. If they want anything at all, only useful gifts make their lives easier. An example of a practical gift is a rechargeable hand warmer. Whether your loved ones’ fingers are cold or they’re looking for heat therapy, it’ll do the trick. The rechargeable hand warmer is so small it can fit into gloves and pockets. Equally, you can buy a back, shoulder, and neck massager that alleviates muscle soreness, eases neck stiffness, and eliminates cervical fatigue. Just saying.
You’re Allowed to Ask a Friend in Case You Need Help
Last but certainly not least, if you run out of gift ideas, remember that gift-giving doesn’t have to be a solo venture. Asking for help doesn’t mean you’ve failed, and neither is it a sign of weakness. It’s a mere indication of the fact that you’re dealing with too much pressure. Even if you just need to check, it can be helpful to ask a mutual friend to put in their two cents. Indeed, you run the risk of spoiling the surprise, but it’s better than buying something the recipient won’t like.
The Takeaway
When done right, gift-giving, whether it’s a small token of appreciation or a grand gesture, is a powerful way to build strong relationships. You can’t give rubbish and hope for the best, but neither should you spend beyond a reasonable threshold.