Five Ideas to Master the Art of Gift Giving

Presents are given not only for the pleasures of those who receive them, but also for the joy felt by those who give them. So, here is one deal in which both the parties are benefitted. With commercialization seeping deep into our lifestyles, gift giving has truly become an elusive art.

I say so because in our hectic life, we are usually short of time and make a dash to the malls to buy presents at the last moment. When gifts are purchased randomly without giving much thought the recipient may or may not value it and the whole exercise of exchanging gifts becomes obligatory.

In order to make gift giving exciting to the giver as well as the receiver, here are some points to keep in my mind before finalizing the gift.

First and foremost, rule number one is to understand that we don’t expect anything in return. The moment you look forward for a return gift, the whole process of gift giving becomes a bargain.

1. Understand the giftee’s needs

 Sometimes we gift a person something which he doesn’t actually need, but we feel that they need it. My cousin is a very non fussy person and dresses in a simple way. Receiving a tight funky T-shirt from his girlfriend didn’t work wonders because he was annoyed that his girlfriend expected him to change his style of dressing for her.

It is important to observe, listen and understand what the person wants as a gift. They might not tell you directly, but they might throw hints during a conversation. Giving what a person wants will fulfil the receiver’s need as well as make it clear how well you understand him.

2. Affordability

The gift you choose has to please your pockets too. You have to shop smartly and save money. An expensive gift may not be as much appreciated as a personalized gift given with love.

3. Know the personality of the person

This is where you can tell how close you are to the receiver, how well you understand them and how much you care for them. The next season when you plan to buy a gift for your friend, or gift send to pakistan, try to find out her hobbies, passions or interests. If your friend is the traveller type, you can gift her travel set containing essentials. A garden tool kit for the nature lover or a cutlery set for the cooking enthusiast would be great.

4. Gifts need not be material things

For your friends, who are the non clutter type, avoid gifting tangibles. Gifting a spa service, a voucher for car maintenance, a prepaid adventure package or an online gift voucher will delight the receiver.

5. Personalise

Gifts must always be accompanied by hand written notes. This adds a personal touch to the act. Making small inscriptions like name of the person or of a special occasion on the gifts is also a way of letting the person know that he means a lot to you. Giving gifts attached to a memory is the sweetest way of saying I love you and the receiver will acknowledge it always.

Every occasion of giving gifts gives us a chance to show love, care and appreciation. Receiving the right gift makes the person realize the kind of effort gone into planning and selecting the gift. Thoughtful gifting strengthens bonds and earns brownie points too!