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Gifting is an art. It’s been a part of every culture since longer than we can imagine. But, it’s certainly not an easy task. When was the last time you had to get a gift for someone and you weren’t confused? Be it your childhood best friend or your co-worker you only met virtually 2 weeks back, to get the perfect gift is by no means a cakewalk.
There are so many aspects to selecting an appropriate gift. Though it’s an emotional ritual, it does no harm to have a pragmatic framework when choosing from a sea of ideas and products. After all, it’s incredibly gratifying when your gift is received well. Let’s try to set a course of action for coming up with a perfect gift by answering some rather simple questions.
How well do you know the person?
If it’s an old friend, you probably don’t want to get something too fancy or eccentric. You already know their interests and hobbies. Try to remember something they told you they wanted to get for themselves, and make sure they already haven’t. If you can’t recall anything, get something you know they’re really passionate about, for instance if someone’s into fitness, a protein shaker bottle or a set of protein biscuits can’t go wrong. If they’re really into rock music, a wall poster of their favourite band would put a smile on their face. If it’s someone you’ve only recently met or a loose acquaintance, you could go for a more generic gift. Perfumes, toiletries, kitchenware, home decor and furniture items make good generic gifts.
What is the occasion?
If it’s an anniversary or any significant event in your relationship, it calls for something special. Be thoughtful. You could get a personalised gift made that artistically brings back all the fond memories you want to cherish. It’s not a bad idea to accompany your custom-made gift with something more like jewellery, clothes or any other fashion accessory. Gifts for birthdays, secret santas, and weddings depend on how well you know the person. If there’s still nothing you can think of, just go for cash. Cash is not too bad because the person can just get what they want with it. And it’s certainly better than a gift card.
What is your budget?
Don’t burn a hole in your pocket, but don’t be too frugal either. I’ll not go with the cliched ‘It’s not about the money, it’s about the emotion'. It’s advisable to spend a little more than you’d like when gifting someone you don’t know closely, because let’s be real, everyone knows a cheap gift when they see one. Start looking for a gift at least two weeks before the occasion, so you don’t have to fall prey to a sudden surge in prices. Look across all shopping platforms once you’ve decided what to get. If you really think something makes a good gift, don’t think twice about spending a little extra. If you are too tight on finances for the month, OTT, reading, music streaming subscriptions, electronic accessories like laptop covers, phone cases, armbands, or chocolates and sweets make good budget gifts.
The perfect gift is a subjective matter and you can’t have a generalised approach to it. But it doesn’t take much to put some thought into it. It doesn’t take much to make someone feel special. I hope this helps you find ‘the perfect gift’.