Christmas is right around the corner, and holiday shopping is on the rise. Like a handful of people, I too struggle with finding the perfect gift(s) to purchase or present to someone. No one wants to be known as the “bad gift giver” and no one wants to be given the so-called “bad gift.” With that being said Christmas shopping this year won’t be a flop. The perfect gifts do exist, here’s my five gift giving tips you can’t resist.
- Know Them
It is always important to know the person you are getting gifts for. Meaning, know their hobbies, sizes, and taste. You already failed at getting a good gift if you got them something they probably wouldn’t like such as certain colors, something that’s the completely wrong size, and something that is the opposite of their hobbies/interests. These might seem like common sense to you, but you’d be surprised how often gift mess ups like these happen.
- Plan Ahead
Waiting until the last minute to get a gift is a big mistake. The chances of the item not being sold out, having the right color, size, and getting to you in a timely manner are very slim. Especially if the person you are buying gifts for has been telling you for a long time what they want, there should be no reason you should wait to get it until the last minute when you had all that time in advance. Don’t make excuses for not being able to get a gift you very well could’ve got when it was first mentioned to you.
- Listen to Them
Listening is key to getting the perfect gift. If you are struggling to find the perfect gift, try and think back to when hints were dropped about something they liked or more specifically said that they wanted. When people talk about things they want or like it obviously means they have interest in it, getting something they’ve talked about gives you points for getting it as a gift because you know they like it or they’ve been wanting it.
- Hit the Musts
Getting a gift that they are very passionate about is always a good way to go. If they have been wanting something for a long time, or are very strongly felt about something that they really want/need then that is one of the best gifts to get them. Getting something they have been wanting for some time is going to make them beyond grateful and happy.
- Quantity over Quality
When talking about gift giving, you might think a typical gift is something you purchase worth a good amount of money. That might be true for some people, but for the people it doesn’t apply to this tip is for you. Making or getting someone something small, but meaningful is sometimes better than the big extra items. It’s not about the money or the most trending item, it’s about doing something thoughtful for that person. For example flowers are one of the best gifts to receive, they’re easy, pretty, and thoughtful. The person who receives that meaningful gift is still going to be appreciative if you got/made them something even if it’s small or cheap.
Gift giving can be a struggle, but it can also be a success. Putting more effort into gift giving makes a big difference. Small, cheap, gifts can mean a lot more than big expensive gifts if you just put thought and time into it. It’s the little things that matter. Stop with the excuses, don’t be lazy, and put in that work.