A Guide to Choosing the Right Gift

A Guide to Choosing the Right Gift

We've all been told that it's "more blessed to give than to receive", but is it? Well, if you get the gift right it can be! The experience of watching someone open a gift you've chosen and seeing the joy and excitement spread across their face is one that most certainly awards the giver a sense of happiness and satisfaction. All too often, however, the expression on the face of the receiver is at best one of mild disinterest, and at worst one of disappointment. Choosing the right gift can be a little like walking a tightrope, but why is it so difficult? This article explores some of the reasons why choosing the right gift can be a real challenge, and offers some hints and tips to help you get it right.

Narrow it down

Gifts fall broadly into two categories; practical and pamper. Practical gifts might include things like a new toaster or a zebra print steering wheel cover, while pamper gifts might include a day at a health spa or a bottle of wine. Knowing the personality type of the person you're buying for is crucial in determining which type of gift would be most appropriate. Some people may see pamper gifts as being frivolous and perhaps even wasteful and as a result these gifts may see little use; they may even be discarded completely. On the other hand, some people may be disappointed by a practical gift feeling that they want to enjoy their special occasion with no thought for practicality. Having a clear idea of the category into which your gift will fall, therefore, is the first step in choosing the right gift for your intended recipient.

What's the occasion?

In many parts of the world, gift-giving is firmly rooted in tradition. In middle eastern countries, for example, gifts should be offered and received using either the right hand or both hands. In Hong Kong and Japan, both hands should be used. In western culture, where the list of occasions calling for a gift seems ever-expanding, the acceptable behaviours surrounding gift giving are perhaps less formalised, however the pressure to select the ideal gift for every occasion has never been greater. In days gone by, gifts would traditionally have been given for birthdays, weddings, Christmas and perhaps the birth of a new baby. In modern culture, it is the norm to give gifts for engagements, graduations, moving into a new home, Valentine's day, anniversaries, new jobs Mother's Day, Father's Day, Grandparent's Day, a new pet....and the list goes on! The occasion for which you plan to buy a gift (in addition to the identity of the intended recipient) can inform both your gift type and your gift budget. It would be expected, for example, that more money would be spent on a wedding gift for your sister, than for a new home gift for a work colleague. Over spending on a gift can be just as uncomfortable for the gift recipient as under spending. Bear in mind that giving an ostentatious gift can put unnecessary pressure on the receiver to respond in kind when it's your turn to receive!

In-store or Online

The days of pounding the streets in search of the perfect gift, while not at an end, have perhaps been rendered unnecessary. The advent of online shopping heralds a new era of shopping from home where you can access thousands upon thousands of stores at the click of your mouse. If you do choose to shop online for your gift, there are 2 things you should check for at the outset. While it's true that delivery charges can often be offset against petrol and parking expenses, it's important to check that what you're being charged for postage and packing is not going to make you regret your decision to shop online. The good news is that many internet retailers offer very reasonable postage charges, some even offer free postage and packaging; shop around and make sure you find yourself a good deal.

The other thing to look out for as you browse each website is a testimonial or reviews page. While legislation does offer a certain amount of protection for online shoppers, it cannot compensate for the inconvenience and disappointment of waiting for your package to arrive only to discover that it is of poor quality or unsuitable for your purpose. Take the time to read the comments of previous shoppers and save yourself the bother of having to return items at a later date.

The Gift Hamper

More and more people are discovering the gift hamper. While the idea has been around for a while, the gift hamper has been enjoying something of a revival in recent years as people shopping for the perfect gift realise that its versatility is its strength. A gift hamper is suitable for any occasion, from birthdays to anniversaries, weddings and new babies; there's a gift hamper to suit each one. There are many advantages to choosing to give a hamper as a gift. Here are just a few of them:

A gift hamper can be suitable for any age of recipient, both male and female

There are gift hampers available to suit all budgets

A gift hamper is a unique gift so you'll have no need to worry about anyone else giving the same gift as you!

The hamper can be personalised to suit the recipient, perhaps themed around a particular hobby or interest

Giving a gift that has been uniquely tailored to the recipient can make quite an impact

There's no need to worry about gift-wrapping; gift hampers come beautifully wrapped

A good gift hamper company will offer you help and advice about what to include in your hamper according to your chosen theme

There are some excellent online gift hamper companies that offer very reasonable (and in some cases free) postage costs


Gifts for women