Choosing a gift can be hard, but it can also be one of the most rewarding experiences for everyone involved. What do you get the person who has everything? Or what do you get for someone who is impossible to shop for? It can be daunting.
But don’t worry, we’re here to help. We’ve put together six tips to help you choose the perfect gift for anyone on your list. So, read on, and happy shopping!
The Practical Uses of the Gift
The practical uses of the gift are one of the most important aspects of gift giving. One of the most important features of a great gift is actually a gift that offers the recipient several uses, or at the very least, can be used for something. For example, if you were to offer your teenager the choice between an expensive watch or a Swegway hoverboard from officialhoverboard.co.uk, they will choose the hoverboard.
It’s thought that one of the reasons for this is that by gifting something practical, you can fulfill a need that the person has, or in some cases, might not even know they had. Several studies have been conducted to determine how many people prefer practical gifts, and the statistics don’t lie; on average, almost all people would prefer a practical gift.
Get the Person What They Want
Another mistake that gift-givers often make is assuming that surprising someone will make that person think that you are more thoughtful. It doesn’t help that we have been conditioned to assume that buying a surprise gift for someone is what the holiday seasons are about. If you truly want to get a great gift for someone this year, you should try to get the person what they asked for.
Sure, you might want to surprise them with just how much you know them. But it turns out, through numerous studies, recipients are far more appreciative of gifts they have asked for. This is most likely because they have thought about it, and it is what they want.
Something to remember about gift giving is that you should try to gift people things they aren’t able to get for themselves. Otherwise, they would have it already, right?
The Price Tag isn’t Important
Another important tip when it comes to gifting the loved ones in your life is that the price tag isn’t important. This might seem counterintuitive since we have been told throughout our lives, especially by holiday marketing campaigns, that the more expensive the gift is, the more the person who receives the gift will appreciate it.
As it turns out, this is not true at all, at least for most people. The primary reason for this is that the price tag is only important for the person buying the gift. However, for the recipient, they often undervalue the gift and don’t appreciate it even after learning how expensive it is.
What’s interesting to note is that getting an expensive gift for someone might actually make the experience unpleasant since it makes the person feel uncomfortable, especially if they think they have to reciprocate in the future with an expensive gift.
Gift an Experience
The next tip on this list if you want to give someone the perfect gift would be to quite literally gift an experience. Gifts don’t always have to be physical, and it turns out that experiences are often far more appreciated than surprise gifts that no one asked for. There is science behind this; it’s most likely because experiences involve creating memories, and memories are sentimental, which is a hallmark of a great gift.
When you think about it, it makes sense; experiences form a part of social relationships, either for the better or worse, and also become part of a person’s identity, especially if that person can reminisce about them. If you can, take the person on a short holiday, even a road trip, or to their favorite restaurant and pay for their meal. Regardless of what you do, ensure that you do it with them.