For many of us, choosing a gift for any occasion can feel like it is going to induce a headache and lead to a last-minute gift-voucher sent online which could appear to lack any thought or effort on your part. Here we look at how to make use of strategies so you can be sure to pick great gifts for your family, friends and work acquaintances that they will appreciate:
Gifts as a language of love
In popular psychology, five suggested love languages have been identified. The majority of people in a relationship feel fulfilled by receiving regular gifts from their partners, with some needing more gifts than others. This can be a challenge for spouses, but there is help with a list of wedding anniversary gifts with suggestions of gifts in symbolic materials for every year the couple are celebrating from their first (paper) through to their 80th (oak). There is a traditional and modern list of anniversary gifts that also include gems, flowers and colours for each year.
Gift Problem-Solvers
Not all gifts have to be physical gifts bought from a store. Some of the most appreciated gifts are those that solve a problem that your friend or a family member has. As an example, as a gift to someone moving into a new home, a housing cleaning or handyman gift certificate could work really well in getting them settled in swiftly. Other gifts can be as simple as an IOU to babysit, take their dog for a walk, cook a meal or something else that removes pressure in their lives, that they acknowledge.
Experience gifts
If you want to mark a special occasion, plan a date with friends instead of simply sending a gift experience coupon. This means that as well as buying the gift, whether it be a massage or cooking lessons, set the date and have friends join so that it is something fixed in the calendar and does not require the giftee to do any extra work. This is a great idea for a birthday or for a bride who wants some time with the girls before she gets married.
Gifts that last
A bouquet can have the wow factor, but a week later they are on the compost heap and the flashiness has gone. Consider instead a rose bush or other flowering bush they can watch grow over the years. If they have enough space in a garden, gift a fruit tree so that in the years ahead they can enjoy the harvest and be grateful for a gift that continues to feed their family.
Gift what they have asked for
You cannot second-guess what the recipient wants as a gift, so always ask. At weddings, there is nearly always a wish list and some people create online lists of what they are saving up to buy which you can look through to see if there is something you would like to get for them. Studies on gift-giving have found that those receiving gifts said the most thoughtful gifts received were ones they had asked for.
Gift time
This is particularly true for our parents and grandparents. Often when asked what they want, the reply is “I have everything I need. Just having you with me for my celebration is enough.” Take them at their word. They are really not lying. They just want you to be generous with your time with them, make a nice dinner or take a small trip, or arrange time off work to travel if you live in different cities.
