The Christmas season is upon us and the time has come to finish your Christmas shopping. Buying gifts for others can be tricky, even if you know the person really well. Instead of putting together a list of general gift ideas, I put together tips to help you think of a gift that goes beyond the basic gift realm. Remember, putting the time and effort into getting someone a gift that fits their personality is part of what makes the gift special.
1. Brainstorm: Take a pen and paper and write down things you know about this person. It can be personality traits, likes/dislikes, hobbies, or their favorite possessions. This will give you a good place to jump start from and work off of as you think of that great gift. Use those keywords you wrote down later on in step #4.
2. “Snoop”: One of the best ways to figure out what a person might really want is to check out their social media. Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram are great places to look for a common theme of things they may like. For example, if someone keeps pinning pretty hair clips, maybe they’d like to add one to their collection.
3. Look for Clues: Do they complain about something in particular? Find a gift that fixes their problem. (e.g. Your aunt complains how cold her house is therefore a heated blanket might be a great solution). Does the person rave about a particular product, place, or a person such as a celebrity? Write it down in your phone notes so you don’t forget. It may be a good clue for what to get them.
4. Research: Using all the tools above, find a common trend and start doing research. Look at various sites to find products reviews. This is very important as the will help guide you on what product is best. If you’re looking for a unique gift, I highly recommend Etsy. You can type in any keyword and it will show you many different products both vintage or handmade that could make for a fantastic gift. Some of the best gifts I have given (and received) were from Etsy.
5. Wrapping: While it’s not necessary to wrap a gift nicely, a well wrapped gift shows thoughtfulness and attention to detail. It’s worth it to go the extra mile to finish off your gift with a well executed wrap job. I will be going over gift wrapping tips later this month.
Do you have any other gift buying tips?
Tegan W
December 3, 2014 at 2:48 pm (8 years ago)I This year, I’m creating gift boxes with different themes for everyone. One of those is a cocktail themed gift box that has a cocktail book, wall art sign, chalkboard coasters, and an infused bourbon I made!