Gifting is about so much more than buying things for people.
Get the right present, and you have a unique opportunity to show someone close how much you appreciate them, and care about your relationship. The right presents send an important message when mere words aren’t enough to express how you feel. They can also be an opportunity to create memories with loved ones that last forever.
Unfortunately, while a good gift can send a message of warmth and love into someone’s life, a badly chosen present can easily rub someone the wrong way. If you end up buying something that doesn’t make sense to the person in question, they might find the item either offensive, or look at it as evidence that you’re not as close as they thought.
So, how do you choose better gifts?
1. Practice Observation
The first step in successful gift giving is making sure you know how to pay attention. The more you can observe your friends and loved ones, the easier it is for you to figure out what they’re going to like and dislike. When you’re around your friends and relatives, pay close attention to what they complain about. Is there a problem in their life that you can help them solve? If a person says they’re never having a good hair day, get them a hair mask and a new hairdryer.
Listen to what your friends and family talk about when they’re passionate and happy too. This will give you an insight into the things that they enjoy most, so you have themes in mind when you’re shopping for gifts. For instance, if your sister never stops talking about shoes, then it probably makes sense to look into getting her a gift voucher for her favourite store or making her a shoe rack where she can display her footwear.
2. Learn From Every Event
When you’re buying presents, it’s worth taking a closer look at the way people have responded to gifts in the past. For instance, what kind of presents have made that person really happy when you’ve seen them receiving the items from other people? Have you ever heard your friend or loved one complaining about a gift that they received and never had an occasion to use?
Even when you’re just sitting around watching people receive gifts in your life, you can pay attention to how they respond when they open the wrapping paper. What makes them genuinely excited? You should be able to tell if you know the individual well enough.
You can even take hints from the kind of gifts that people buy for you, as the gifts that we get each other are usually inspired by the things we’d like to own ourselves.
3. Do Some Spy Work
If simply observing the person and their gifting habits isn’t enough, you might need to do a little more research. Consider going online and checking out what the person talks about on social media, and which kinds of posts from other brands they “like” and comment on. This is often a good indication that they like the product or service being mentioned. You could even checkout any “wish lists” they have on their online shopping accounts if they’re willing to share.
It might help to be subtle about your spying, such as indirectly asking if they like the products from www.mensfragrance.co.uk
or if they have a favourite brand. Subtleness goes hand in hand with spy work.
One of the best ways to get extra information on someone for the purpose of buying a better gift, is to speak to their friends and family members. They might be able to give you insights and advice based on what they know about the person, and the experiences they’ve had with them in the past. Although some of the advice you get from loved ones might not be helpful, you might be able get some insights that you wouldn’t have thought of yourself.
4. Just Ask What they Need
Finally, not every great present needs to be a surprise. Sometimes, people would much rather you simply asked them what they needed, than get them something they aren’t going to use. Make sure that you consider the situation carefully and think about whether the person would respond well to giving you a list of the items they most want.
Asking for a list of items within a certain price range can be helpful for keeping the experience as something of a surprise, as your friend won’t know exactly what they’re going to get. You can also avoid being stuck with an idea that you can’t afford, or something that’s too difficult for you to get.
*This was a collaborative post but my love of gifting is 100% my own.
