17 Dec Finding the Perfect Gift
Christmas may be just around the corner; but as the excitement builds, so does the pressure to find the perfect gift for your loved ones.
For me, there’s nothing better than putting in thought behind a gift to make the season of giving feel more special.
After all, surprising people with gifts they love is the best feeling for you—and for them!
Although I’m not exactly an expert, I do have some useful tips when it comes to finding awesome gifts for friends or family members. Holiday stress, be gone!
1. Keep in Mind Your Loved One’s Interests
First of all, before you even begin shopping, think long and hard about what your loved one is interested in.
By having a good brainstorming session, you get to show the recipient that you notice and care about their passions. This is flattering in itself, but it will also ensure that your gift will be something that they’ll use long-term.
Last year, I gave my husband Kris a meal subscription for a fancy vegetarian/vegan version of those meal prep kits that are making lives easier all around the world.
He’d been eating limited meat and I thought he’d appreciate me noticing his commitment to his health. While also expanding our cooking repertoire!
Needless to say, it was a HUGE hit.
Top Tips for Buying a Gift
I usually keep an ongoing list all year long that features the people I want to remember to shop for. In addition, to any helpful information and suggestions that may come in handy at a later date.
Unsure what your loved one is interested in right off the bat? Not to worry—that’s what social media is for.
Scroll their Facebook feed, check out their Pinterest profile, and put all those stalking techniques we learned when we were dating to good use!
For example, I found my daughter’s teacher’s favorite candy last year just by having a quick scroll through her Facebook page. I then gifted it to her and she was ecstatic.
If your potential gift recipient likes something enough to post about it online, imagine how much they’ll like YOU when you “remember” to gift it to them. Even if the reality meant that you had to jog your memory via Facebook.
2. Consider Giving an Experience
You know the saying: “fill your life with experiences, not things”?”? I find that it’s a mindset that’s KEY when entering into a healthy new year.
Personally, I love gifting an experience because a good memory is truly worth so much more than a material item.
If your friend or relative has a favorite band or restaurant, or really enjoys doing spontaneous things, look into how you can make it happen!
And don’t forget that experience gifts are a complete win with kids too! Check out websites like Groupon for fun (and sometimes really weird) ideas for things to do in your area. As a bonus, if you give this kind of gift to one of the kids in your life, you give their parents a bonus gift by whisking them away for the day.
Fitting an Experience Into Your Schedule
Don’t get caught in the trap that you can’t gift an experience just because it can seem overwhelming at first.
Even if you can’t personally make the dates work, you can politely decline and give your loved one a “take a friend” pass so they can still have a great time with someone they care about.
3. Make It Personal
Finally, one of my favorite gifts to send is the sentimental kind. I love gifting to my friends and family in a way that lets them know that I was not only thinking about them, but I was also thinking about our relationship!
Bonus points that making a gift that’s personalized or created by you means that it will definitely be one of a kind!
How to Create a Unique Gift
Nowadays, there are many gift options that allow you to personalize an element of it, whether it’s monogramming a handbag or designing a cushion cover using your own collection of photographs.
Even if it’s impossible to customize the perfect gift you’ve thought of for your loved one, you could still include a silly bonus gift or a picture that ties your gift to a memory.
It’s always the thought that counts- and a gift with a personalized element shows lots of thought!
How to Find the Perfect Gift: Practicality Wins
Sure, ’tis the season of giving, but it’s important not to just give for the sake of giving.
There’s nothing worse than investing in something materialistic that the recipient will use once and then never again—or not at all! It’s not exactly environmentally-friendly.
Instead, put some time aside to send thoughtful, unique gifts. your loved one is sure to remember the sentiment for years to come.
Still not sure what to get? Click this link to gift Artful Agenda and allow your friend or family member to join the digital planner revolution.
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