Your Ultimate Guide for Perfect Christmas Gifts.
The art of buying the Perfect Christmas Gifts for friends and families is simplified for everyone who likes gifting but is terrible at it.
Above the fulfilling joy I get from knowing that I have made a cherished person happy, there is this unprecedented feeling of joy watching their eyes light up as they open the gift - and, from a cultural context, the cheerful but puzzled look for those who take gifts home and don't open gifts in front of the giver as they wonder what could be inside.
This observation made me realise that, above the fact that most people admit that receiving gifts is at the top of their love languages, everybody may actually love receiving gifts. But then, I have met people who see gifting as something they love doing, especially to express their affection to loved ones. However, even at that, some acknowledge they are terrible at the art.
Inspired by the season, I aim to uncover five (5) thoughtful ideas on selecting the most memorable gifts for your loved ones that go beyond the ordinary, ensuring this holiday season is filled with joy and cherished moments. Let the art of gift-giving bring warmth and delight to your celebrations and beyond!
1 - Know the receiver.
Whenever I witness or hear of a gift that does not go well with the receiver, I immediately think of a giver who didn’t give much thought to their receiver as much as they gave to the gift they were getting. This is why most treasured gifts are not usually valued because of how much they cost but how memorable they are.
To gift someone means that you have a level of relationship with them - but that does not mean you know them. However, the good thing is that getting to know people is easy. You just have to think more about them than you think about what you want to give them.
Irrespective of who the person is to you and how long you may have known them, you still need to do this assignment. You can even start by making a list of all the most important information you know about them. Regardless of how little of a detail they are, like do they have a favourite colour - what colour is that? Have they stopped over at a shop and looked at an item twice, and have you seen them recently browsing an item without ending up buying? Lastly, has there been something they have mentioned to your hearing a couple of times recently, but you have yet to see them owning - even an experience (like a cinema, restaurant, etc…)? These all count.
2 - What is your budget OR How much do you want to spend?
This is another juncture where most people get the art of gifting wrong. Either from giving a reasonable amount of thought to the receiver and accurately figuring out what may be memorable to them, but thinking about how much that may cost, then considering it is expensive and going ahead to buy anything else that is available and within budget.
Another scenario is where people, because of how much they have, end up thinking more about an expensive gift than the person who receives it, like most money-miss road lovers who buy luxurious gifts that their lovers never appreciate wholeheartedly. Or, for example, imagine gifting Bill Gates a gold-plated-customised iPhone - forgetting that he has severally publicly declared his love for Android. Surely, you actually thought about him and your budget, but this time around, you may have been carried away by how much you have and are willing to spend more than the thought of getting to know the person.
3 -Buy their lifestyle for them.
If the two abovementioned fail, or you find yourself in a situation where you are getting a gift for someone you are getting to know, then buy a gift that matches their lifestyle, which you have perceived.
Again, this may go wrong if you get too carried away thinking about lifestyle and not considering the person in question in any way. For example, I like to read and write, and most people who know me know this. Nevertheless, I have received a lot of not-too-exciting books from friends who thought more about my lifestyle of reading books and not about me and my likely interests at all.
4 - Buy for yourself and give them.
A famous neuroscientific study proves that we Buy On Emotion and Justify with Logic. Therefore, buying for yourself to gift others is actually thinking about what you may want to get yourself within the budget you have and, instead, gifting it away.
This is because you share some level of compatibility with anyone you have a relationship with to the point of deeming them fit to get a gift. However, just remember to tell them why that particular gift and how you loved it for them and wanted it for yourself or have one already, in writing or in person.
5 - Outrightly ask them what they want.
I know this because of our childhood gift behaviour with our parents and Santa. We tell them what we want and end up going over the moon as if surprised for getting that which we requested from them in the beginning.
However, do not be too direct. First, come up with some gifts in mind, and let them know these and why you want to get them for them. Initiate conversations, and in that, try to make them help you understand what they need. I believe that an adult would know from your options what your budget is by hearing what you had in mind and wouldn’t cross it. That is if you are concerned about budget.
Bonus Tips
If you are monetarily successful or at least perceived as the wealthiest person in your family and friendship group, and you truly are, then think about gifting money or gift cards in addition to anything you may have in mind. Except in the case you got a direct request and are certain of the gift and how desperately the person needed it. This is because, by the quote, ‘there is love in sharing.’ - your sharing money with family and friends best demonstrates this from you to them.
Invest in the gift packaging and wrap, especially if you are going for tip number 4 and 5. However, remember tip number one - maybe go further to think about the receiver - do they have a favourite colour or design pattern, or are they overly climate-friendly to the point it matters so much to them the packaging material? Also, pay attention to the style of the packing and everything in between and above.
If you've read this far, I have a few gifts I sell on eBay. You may also wish to check them out. Seller Profile Link…
Many thanks for reading my perspective and giving feedback.
My fervent wish is for the personal growth of everyone and the success of all young professionals who put their hearts and souls into finding their purpose in life.
Copyright © Ekene Moses, 2023. All Rights Reserved.