10 Tips for Giving the Best Gifts Ever
Gift giving doesn’t have to be hard
I absolutely love giving gifts. There is no better feeling than knowing that you have purchased the best gift for your friend or loved one. That moment when you see the look of sheer joy on their face when they first look upon their gift is PRICELESS. That’s why I get a rush from coming up with the best gift ideas.
I want everyone to have that feeling when giving gifts. Therefore, in this post, I have listed some great tips and tricks for coming up with the best gift ideas for the special people in your life. These tips should help anyone who gets stumped when it comes to gift-giving.
So, let’s get started.
1. Give from the heart
This is the first tip because it’s the most important. You never want to give a gift grudgingly or out of obligation. You should want to give it freely. Otherwise, what’s the point.
The recipient should feel like you WANTED to make their day. Therefore, if you give from the heart, you can never go wrong.
2. It’s truly the thought that counts
As children, we are often told that people will love any gift we give because “it’s the thought that counts.” For the most part, that’s true. However, many people misinterpret and abuse this rationale to justify giving a lazy or crappy gift. The idea is that the recipient should be grateful that the person giving them the gift thought enough about them to buy a gift in the first place.
Unfortunately, this way of thinking will only lead to disappointment for both parties. The result will be a gift that is re-gifted or tossed in the trash, and nobody wants that to happen.
So, let’s reclaim this saying for its true meaning, which is that we put some real thought behind what we want to give to the recipient. That we make a real concerted effort to think about the person’s likes, wants, and desires to come up with a gift that is just right for them. We need to say NO to lazy gift giving from now on. I cannot emphasize the importance of this tip enough because trust me when I say that a person can always tell if you put some thought into buying their gift or not.
3. Listen up and pay attention
If the gift recipient is a friend or loved one, chances are they have said things or dropped hints in the casual conversations you have had throughout the year. Many times, they are not aware that they have said anything at all. However, if you are a good active listener, you can pick up on these messages and gleam the best gift idea for when the time comes. You’d be surprised by how a person’s wants and needs come up in conversation, which can be easily be turned into a great gift idea.
Also, pay attention to what’s going on in the person’s life. Events might be happening at work or home that may give you some great ideas. For these reasons, you should listen up and listen well. You will be able to come up with an idea with ease if you just pay attention.
4. Make a list
I have to be honest; I love making lists. However, when it comes to giving gifts, I think creating a running list is a great way to keep up with your ideas throughout the year. You can also generate lists for different occasions (birthdays, holidays, or other special occasions).
Your list can be written on paper, typed in your phone, or saved on your computer. The point is that a list is a good way to keep track of your ideas. You can check gifts off as you go. Plus, having a list means you rarely run out of gift ideas.
5. Collect stuff year-round
There is no hard-fast rule stating that you can only purchase a gift when the time comes or when the occasion arises. You can buy gifts at any time of the year if it’s in your budget. For example, you may see something that would make a good gift during your travels or while browsing online that you may never see again. If you pass it by, you may miss your opportunity to purchase the item. If that’s the case, it’s okay to buy a gift when you see it and save it for later. That way, you will be ready when it’s time to give the gift.
Additionally, I know people who like to buy gifts and keep them on hand all year just in case a special occasion pops up or they have an unexpected visitor. There is absolutely nothing wrong with stockpiling gifts and saving them for later. It’s actually a brilliant idea.
Plus, purchasing gifts ahead of time will allow you to miss the crowds and the holiday rush. I mean, who wants to be out there in that mess when you can sit back and relax while everyone else is out there participating in the madness.
6. Search the internet
Did you know that there are websites whose sole purpose is to make gift suggestions? When I discovered these sites many years ago, I was on cloud nine. They took the guesswork out of finding the perfect gift. There is no shame in using any of these websites. Whether you are stumped or already have a list of ideas, these websites are a great resource.
All you need to do is conduct an online search for gift ideas (you can also be more specific and type in gifts for her or him), and a ton of results will pop up. Some results will be articles listing the best gift ideas for the current year. Other results may be gift websites (like www.gifts.com) that are dedicated to suggesting gift ideas exclusively. You can even purchase the items directly from the website.
Finally, you can search through Pinterest, one of my favorite places on the internet, for some great gift ideas. I can’t begin to tell you how Pinterest is one of the best resources for a wide range of gift ideas. Pinterest can be used as a search engine to find almost anything under the sun. So, check out the Pinterest app for a plethora of gift ideas. I promise you won’t regret it.
7. Give the gift of an experience
A gift isn’t always about physically handing someone a box with an item inside. Sometimes, the gift can be an experience. For example, I purchased two tickets for my mother and aunt to participate in a necklace making class at a local bead shop. Not only did they learn how to make a beaded necklace, but they were also able to spend time with one another. It was money well spent.
Experience gifts such as classes, concerts, a museum tour, race car driving, or a hot air balloon ride are all wonderful ideas to give as gifts. So, consider giving the gift of an experience they won’t forget as your next gift idea.
8. It’s not all about the price
We all need to keep in mind that the most expensive gift isn’t necessarily the best gift. It’s not always about the price of the gift, but the thought behind the gift. However, I think we sometimes forget the best gifts may be cheap or free.
Therefore, we all need to take a beat to think about why we are giving a gift. Are we giving the gift because of our ego? Are we giving the gift because the price tag will impress the recipient? Is the recipient the kind of person that cares about the price of a gift? These are all factors we need to take into consideration when we buy a gift. So, take the time to decide if purchasing a pricey or showy gift is the best option for your friend or loved one. There is no need to break the bank if you don’t have to.
Remember, the gift of time is always free.
9. Practical gifts are great too. Just be careful.
Gifts that you know someone may need in their daily life can be good presents if you know they will appreciate them and not be disappointed.
For example, I was a teacher for many years, and during that time, I received a lot of gifts. One year, a parent presented me with a crate of eggs. Okay, I know the average person may be shocked to receive such a gift. I have to admit that it was unique. I had never been given anything like it as a present. However, those eggs turned out to be quite useful, and I loved them. Especially since it was the holiday season, and I had a lot of baking to do. Those eggs came in handy.
The next year, the same parent gave me a bottle of olive oil and Tide laundry pods. I was thrilled to receive them as gifts too because they were extremely useful and wouldn’t go to waste.
Now, I’m not saying that eggs or laundry detergent are ideal gifts for everyone. Still, sometimes practical gifts can really go a long way if you have put some thought into it and your heart is in the right place. However, I strongly advise that you proceed with caution. You don’t want to give someone a practical gift when they are expecting something more unique and personalized.
10. Purchase personal gifts with extreme care
Personal gifts, such as clothing or perfume, can be tricky. These gifts work best if you know the recipient’s unique style or scent. Using your scent or style won’t work because everyone has different tastes.
Unless you know the person extremely well or they have told you specifically what to buy, I would steer clear of buying these items as presents. Things such as scarves, gloves, hats, and candles are fine, but an entire outfit or an expensive bottle of fragrance may be too much of a risk if you don’t know what they like.
10 tips for gift giving recap:
- Give from the heart.
- It’s truly the thought that counts.
- Listen up and pay attention.
- Make a list.
- Collect stuff year-round.
- Search the internet.
- Give the gift of an experience.
- It’s not all about the price.
- Practical gifts are great too. Just be careful.
- Purchase personal gifts with extreme care.
