From baby showers to birthdays, there are so many occasions where we would love to present our friends and family members with a great gift that they will truly cherish.
Unfortunately, many of us are not exactly great at giving gifts; we can’t think of any good ideas, we don’t really know where to start or what the recipient would like, and we get overwhelmed. It doesn’t have to be like that!
Gift giving is a skill like any other, which means you can always improve, and here are a few tips that will help you do just that:
1. Don’t buy them something they’re an expert in
When your loved one is crazy about chess or knows a tremendous amount about tea, you may think that it’s a great idea to buy them a gift that is chess or tea-related, but that is often a really bad idea. Why? Well, for one thing, they may already have whatever it is you’re thinking of buying, and for another, they already know everything about the subject, which means they will know what they want for themselves. You may end up unknowingly buying them an inferior product, which, although I’m sure they would accept gratefully, may not actually be a good gift for them.
2. Give them an upgraded version of something they already have
This piece of advice may sound contrary to the tip above, but if you know the person you are buying for likes the finer things in life, and you are sure they don’t already have one, buying them a fancier version of the thing they love can often go down well. For example, if your friend loves to play cribbage, but they only have a basic, tattered old board, buying them one of these fancy cribbage boards would probably go down well, or if your friend loves purses, but she can only afford cheap ones, getting her something a bit fancier from a higher-end store is always going to go down well providing you take the time to really study her taste.
3. Get what they want not what you think they should have
One of the biggest mistakes bad gift-givers make is giving the person an item that they think they want or need, or even should have, rather than something they actually want. For example, you may love getting snuggly sweaters that you can cuddle up in for Christmas, but that doesn’t mean anyone else will - many people find them hot, itchy, and tacky - soi although it may seem like a good gift to you, it may not be a good one for them.
Obviously, this means asking the recipient what they want, and getting that very thing for them, which can take the fun out of things. One way to get around this is by asking them to suggest a few things they would like to receive so you can pick one out safe in the knowledge they’ll love it and still give them a bit of a surprise. It certainly beats getting it wrong and giving them something they don’t really like or won’t really use, doesn’t it?
4. Take time over the presentation
Although choosing the right gift is 90 percent of what it takes to be a good gift-giver, you should not neglect the issue of presentation. Even the most mediocre gift can be elevated if it is well presented.
Think about it, if someone hands you a bottle of champagne in a plastic bag, it’s not going to make the same impact as it would if they present it to you in a beautiful personalized wooden crate, or even in an actual sparkly wine bag with a bow and a gift tag, even if it is just the same gift. A lot of what we think and feel about things is based on our visual sense, so it makes sense that how a gift looks at first impression would color the way we feel about it, even if it doesn’t really make any logical sense to do so.
If you’re not great at wrapping and presenting gifts, try a gift-wrapping service or enlist a crafty friend to help you make it look good.
Giving good gifts can be difficult, but the above tips should help you to get it right a bit more often, and with a little practice, you’ll. Soon be known as the best gift-giver in your circle of friends and family members, which is never a bad thing to be.
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