When you buy a gift for someone, there are a few things you want to make sure of. You want it to be appropriate for the recipient and will spend time thinking of the things they like and gifts that have worked well in the past. You want it to be unique - both in the sense that it’s not something you’ve got them before, and that it’s not something they’ll get from anyone else. Most of all, you want it to be a success - we give gifts to bring happiness to someone special, and if they love the gift, then it’s mission accomplished.
Gift-buying places a lot of pressure on both the giver and the receiver. All of us have, at one time or another, exaggerated the pleasure a gift has given us for the very good reason that it’s nice the giver thought of us at all. And we all realize that when we go to buy a gift; we want to get the real, unrestrained gratitude rather than the “you tried” version. We put a lot of effort into searching for the perfect gift. We need to ask ourselves: is it possible to give the perfect gift?
You can’t decide how someone else will feel about a gift...
What one thing would make you happy right now? You may have an answer in mind, but if you were asked the same question in three hours’ time, would it be the same? Few people in the world are in the fortunate position where just one thing is all that stands between them and happiness. Even if you picked the right gift for three hours before you gave it, there is the chance that the person receiving it would prefer something else by the time you give it to them. You don’t live inside their head, so don’t feel bad for not reading their mind.
But you can increase the chances of it working out
To state it simply, if you want to know what someone really wants, you can always ask them. It’s frowned upon by some people, as though gift-giving were some Olympic sport in which points are given for artistic integrity. You never know: if you ask, they might tell you, and not only is your gift-giving role made easier, you can also be sure they’ll be happier. If the subject is a family member, you might know immediately what they need in life. Dad could use a golf simulator, mom might love another piece to add to her jewelry collection, or your youngest sibling wants money for a Fortnite top-up. If they say they don’t want or need anything, then picking up online gifts such as cards or voucher codes will allow them to decide for themselves at some future point. This way, they’re getting something they want and/or need - and really, that should be what matters.
Most importantly, it’s in how you give the gift
Some people will get to the day before a special occasion, remember that they’re supposed to give a gift, and panic. They might then spend a small fortune on a games console or an expensive cruise. You might toil over picking the right thing and give a gift that would look to an outsider like it’s less than what the first person has given. A lot depends on how you hand the gift over. If you explain your thought process when handing them their present, it will make clear to them how important they are to you. That’s a feeling that will live longer with them than a blurted “Happy Birthday Gary, here’s a Rolex”, even if it doesn’t seem that way at the time.
