November 21, 2021

The Art of Thoughtful Gifting

The magic of the season is almost here. Holidays are a time of celebration, relaxation, and gift-giving. But choosing gifts can also make it a time of stress and anxiety. Here are some tips for gift gifting.

1. Them before You
As you are browsing for gifts in-store or online, you are going to be tempted to shop for gifts that you would love. Try putting yourself in the receiver’s shoes, rather than looking at things from your own perspective. Putting someone else’s needs over your own is the greatest aphrodisiac.

2. Hawk's Eye
A thoughtful gift needs to speak to the recipient’s values, what they think is important, what they enjoy and, essentially, who they are as a person. So observe, observe, and observe. This will help you get a better understanding of a person’s tastes and interests.

3. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask
Getting a gift that the recipient really wants is more important than surprise. It's okay to ask people who know the recipient well about their ideas, or ask them directly yourself.

4. A Meaningful Story
Every gift has a story. Every relationship has a story. Whether it's a gift that comes with a piece of interesting story to a gift that is reminiscent of something from your recipient’s history: a memory, an interest, a hobby, a comment mentioned in a conversation. When the story of the person and the story of the gift converge, it will make the individual sing.

5. Practicality is Key
New research suggests that it’s more the practicality of a gift that matters. In a recent study, researchers ran serial experiments looking at how close a gift recipient felt to a gift giver—either an acquaintance or closer friend—after receiving an attractive versus a practical gift. In every case, people felt closer to someone who gave them a more usable gift than one that seemed fancier.

6. Gift of Experiences
Give the gift of experiences. Science has shown that people tend to be happier when they receive gifts involving experiences rather than material ones.