With Christmas getting closer, you may be starting to panic if you haven’t chosen gifts for all your loved ones yet, but we are here to help! Here are a few tips on what to look for if you are still on the hunt for the perfect gift this year.
Why do we give gifts?
A great way to get you started on your way to choosing the perfect Christmas gift is to consider why we join in with this tradition. Research into gift-giving psychology suggests that two goals should be considered when picking and presenting the perfect gift for a loved one.
The first goal is to make the recipient happy and the second is to strengthen the relationship between the gift giver (you) and the recipient. The former is achieved by gifting something that the recipient wants and, the latter, by giving a thoughtful and memorable gift.
Personalisation
By choosing a gift that is personal to your recipient, you are likely to give a great gift. There is a huge range of ways a gift can be personalised, from the gift itself to how it is prepared. For example, presenting a personalised card Christmas card to a loved one will make any attached gift feel special, whether you add an inside joke or a photo of the two of you on the front.
If your recipient has an eco-conscious edge, you may want to choose some eco-friendly and recyclable wrapping paper as, unfortunately, most regular wrapping paper contains additives like glitter and plastics which can’t be recycled. Thinking of small things like this will show your loved one that you put thought into their gift.
Generally, any personalised gift will be one of a kind and will become a cherished possession. For instance, custom number plates are ideal for car enthusiasts. You could choose to frame a picture that is special to your recipient, a piece of jewellery with their birthstone or just consider something that you feel they are missing in their life – making it a thoughtful and useful gift.
Gift an experience
Studies have found that gifting an experience, regardless of price, has an improved impact on the relationship between the gift giver and receiver, so if you are stuck for ideas, this could be great! From cinema tickets to day experiences, there is a huge range of options for any budget. If you are still unsure of what your loved one may like best, you could opt to buy an experience through a provider like Buyagift that allows the recipient to choose an activity or experience themselves – saving you the stress of doing it yourself.
Quality time
Following on from the pros of gifting an experience, gifting quality time to a loved one is a perfect gift idea. After years of COVID-19 restrictions, spending quality time with those who are close to you is one of the best ways to show them that they are special and loved. You could combine this with an experience that you can both enjoy together or look to spend an entire day together doing some of your favourite things to rekindle some of those relationships that may have diminished over the last couple of years.
