How To Buy A Thoughtful Gift

Giving a gift is a kind thing to do for many reasons, and lots of people prefer giving to receiving. However, choosing that gift can take a lot of time, and even become rather stressful if nothing can be found. If you ever find that you are in that situation where you want to buy something special for someone, but you just can’t find something thoughtful and right, here are some tips to help you out.

Plan Ahead

When you want to give someone a gift, the best way to get started is to plan ahead and don’t leave it to the last minute. You will need to take the time to consider everything about the recipient such as their likes and dislikes, their personality, the kinds of gifts other people give, and so on. You might want to give someone who is active in their local church some jewelry for Christians; a good cook might enjoy some new recipe books; someone who loves being outdoors might like a gift card for an adventure experience, for example.

You will also need to think about your budget, and the reason that you want to give the gift in the first place. Is it a birthday or anniversary, for example, or is there another special reason you want to give them something to remember you by?

Write down your list of ideas and consider each one carefully until you are happy with your choice. Doing this will make finding the actual gift a lot easier as you have already narrowed down your options.

It’s Not About The Money

The most thoughtful gift givers don’t try to buy the most expensive items in the hopes that they will be thought of as extremely generous, or to show off their wealth. Although you will need to think about the cost of what you are buying because you don’t want to overspend when you are on a budget, you should not focus on the price. It is the gift itself that is important, even if it only cost a small amount of money.

Personal Gifts

If you don’t have any money to spend, but you want to give a gift, then why not create something yourself? These gifts can be the ones that are most well received, and they will certainly be unique. What could be more thoughtful than making something with someone in mind to give it to? Personalising gifts makes them truly special, and your recipient will be so pleased that you took the time to make something just for them.

You can even personalise gifts that you buy from the store by adding some flourish of your own to them. It makes them unique again, and that is something very special indeed. For example, buying someone a box of chocolate is lovely, but buying a box of chocolates and then putting that chocolate in an attractive basket or container rather than the box they came in makes them even better!  Even designing a funny t shirt or hoodie, click here to find out more!

No One Has Everything

Thoughtful gift givers don’t assume that they are buying for the person who has everything because, after all, no one actually has everything. There is always something that they will enjoy receiving. A gift experience is a good idea in these cases, such as tickets to a show, or a voucher for a meal out. You could even make your own gift vouchers to give, and they might include babysitting services, a homecooked meal, a night out with friends and so on. This is a truly thoughtful idea and something that everyone can enjoy. If you’re not sure what to include then think back to the last conversation you had with the recipient: did they mention something that was worrying them or that they wanted to do but couldn’t? These are good places to start.

It’s Better To Give Than To Receive

A truly thoughtful gift is given without any expectation of getting something in return, and that is the key to it, especially if there is no particular reason for giving the gift in the first place. The feeling of seeing someone’s face light up because they are so pleased with a gift that you have given them in second to none, and it is that feeling that thoughtful gift givers enjoy most of all.

Presentation

In order to give a thoughtful gift, the presentation should also be considered. It is essential to pay close attention to the little details, and ensuring, for example, that the wrapping paper used is appropriate to the situation and not just some scraps that were left over from another occasion can make a big difference to how the gift looks overall. Even if you feel that the gift you bought can’t be wrapped, there are always little added extras you can use to make it look attractive and enticing. Ribbons, glitter, stickers, even flowers might make your gift look stunning and truly make the recipient smile.

Ask Questions

One of the most thoughtful things a gift giver can do is to actually as the recipient what it is they want! Although this might take away the element of surprise, it does mean that they will be given exactly what they ask for, and that is extremely thoughtful.

If you don’t want to ask the recipient themselves, but you do really want to know what it is they want, why not speak to a close friend or family member? They may well have some great ideas, or you could even club together to buy something that individually you might not have been able to do.

The Act of Giving

Some people love to be surprised, and others prefer to know what is happening at all times. Therefore, when you choose to give your gift, you should consider the personality of the recipient. If they enjoy surprises then you could produce the gift at any time, perhaps when out in public or randomly when you are visiting. If they prefer to have more control, let them know that you have something to give them and that you will do so once you are at home, or in a more private place.