Becoming the ultimate gift giver can be the goal of many. It means you don’t just give gifts for the sake of it – oh no, not you. You take pride, care, and time to make sure that you only give something that will be loved and adored.
The gifts you give can be displayed, cherished and become part of the people you give them to.
You may have experienced it yourself – the moment you unwrap something you have wanted for a long time but didn’t want to buy yourself. It means that the person who purchased it for you considered everything you want and like and got it for you.
They listened to you when you talked about your interests and the things you like.
In a world where you can have anything anytime, that is a big deal.
How to curate your gift-giving
Most of the time, we want to give something, but from time to time, what we want to give them overtakes what they really want. Instead, try to hold back on what you want to give and truly listen to what they want.
If they are asking for a single item, something small but cheap – then get it. It’s something that they want, and you can’t go wrong when you do that.
You can take this further and really start tuning in to what they like, what they do with their spare time and hobbies or creative pursuits that they want to do.
You can often get starter kits that have many of the items you the giftee will need to get started, and it can be a great starting point for what they want.
Get Creative
Some of the best gifts are small or handmade – or both. Creating something that you know the recipient is going to love can bring a lot of joy. You can make some very heartfelt things too. Consider taking some of their cherished memories and investing in picture framing.
You can create more than one to have a gallery wall of their most lovely images. Or you can search for a special one – and give them something they will adore forever.
A neat thing to do here is to find a photo of a relative they love and see if you can have the image scanned, cleaned up and even add colour.
If you want to create something handmade, there are some fun things that you can make and get framed – apart from photos.
If you know where and when they met their partner, you can find the location on Google maps, take a screenshot, turn it black and white and frame it. Alternatively, find a quote that reminds you of them, create it in something like Canva, and have it backed and framed too.
A very popular piece of artwork is having their children’s voice or favourite song turned into a soundwave so it can be hung on their wall.
You could also get them something personalised such as personalised Champagne.
Blank Cheques
A blank cheque but not for cash – for your time and attention! Time is more precious than anything on earth, and we never seem to have enough. Everyone is busy with life – and that is fine. But from time to time, you want to spend some more time with people, and a fun way to book it is by creating blank cheques.
Think about what the person you are giving the gift to values. Perhaps it is a concert from their favourite band, the ballet, or a meal at a restaurant they have always wanted to try.
The best thing about giving this one is that you get to enjoy the item too – because you get to spend time together.
Donations
There is a temptation to give people who have everything even bigger gifts. Instead, skip giving them something and find out which charities they support. Increase their endeavours and buy a support package to that charity for the year.
If they often raise funds, you can ask them if they prefer to deposit an amount into their fundraising.
A few charities offer some fabulous signup goodies when you offer a monthly donation for the year. Suppose they don’t really show interest in charities. In that case, you can decide for them. Often, animal charities and charities that supply food for children can be incredible.
Business
Many people have small businesses or freelance on the side. One of the best ways to support them is to offer either time or money towards something their business needs.
You might be surprised to find that some of the most important things they need are materials for their products or some money towards marketing.
Supporting your friends and family small business can be as simple as sharing their posts or even buying tickets to a networking event in the industry that they are working in.
If they haven’t got a business or are freelancing, they might need some help finding courses or a guide to help them start it. Booking a course, buying books, or finding a business coach that matches their needs can be the springboard they need to get off to a flying start.
This gift can be one of the most life-changing and will give you a real feel-good factor too.
Signed & Rare
Are they a huge fan of a particular footballer, sports star or musician? Some websites have signed and rare memorabilia. If there are no signed or rare goods from the act, buying tickets to a sports game or concert tickets may be possible.
Signed and rare memorabilia is a really cool gift and will be displayed somewhere that they can see at all times.
Travel
If you have the budget for it, and you know they have a passport, it might be time to get in touch with their partner or best friends and see if there is anywhere on their bucket list that you can help with.
Travel tickets can be very budget-friendly, and aside from that, you might need to arrange a hotel.
This is on the larger side of gifts. Still, it might be possible to secretly arrange for everyone who would be giving a gift to chip in a small amount of cash to help make it a trip to remember.
This can be tricky to pull off without getting in touch with their workplace if you want to do it for more than just a weekend.
Workshops & Talks
Local community centres and exhibition centres often have workshops that might be of interest. Art workshops, pottery, painting, photography and even IT skills. You can book two tickets, and if they need someone to go with them, you can go along too.
Workshops are a great way to try out different skills and activities without committing to the long-term costs of courses.
TEDTalks and poetry readings can also be one of the most enjoyable ways to spend a few hours. TEDTalks have speakers and topics that span the whole of humanity in a wide range of locations and can be the perfect way to combine a trip away and some culture and learning.
If the recipient is a bookworm, then consider checking out if their favourite author has any readings or new releases coming up. Often authors will do book tours, and you can head out and join them as they indulge in the words of people they admire and enjoy.
Gift-giving can be a lot of fun and can really make the people you care about feel loved. What really matters isn’t how much the gift cost but the thought of getting just the right gift.
Do you need more gifting tips? Check out these gift lists for inspiration: Gifting Archives.
