You can think of gift-giving as a bit of an art, and there’s something really special about creating or choosing a gift that feels truly unique, which is why it’s such a great option to take. By adding a personal touch, you can show the recipient that you’ve put thought into their present, making the whole experience much more memorable and meaningful, and that’s a wonderful thing to do. So if you want to be a bit more creative when it comes to giving gifts, especially if you want to add a personal touch to what you’re giving, keep reading to find out what to do.
Start With Personalized Gifts
If you want to literally add a personal touch to your gift-giving, starting with personalized gifts could be the ideal way to go - after all, nothing says ‘thoughtful’ like something custom-made for your recipient, does it? The best thing about personalized gifts is that you can instantly show the recipient how much you care about them and understand them as a person, and that really can mean a lot.
What’s more, there are hundreds of different ways to give a personalized gift - if they love jewelry, you could get them a piece of jewelry with their initial or birthstone on it, for example. Do they drink a lot of tea or coffee? Custom mugs can be ideal - add their name or a fun phrase and image and they’ll think of you every time they have their favorite drink. Or you could choose a reusable water bottle, a t-shirt, a drawing, or pretty much anything else - and you can rest assured no one else is going to have bought them the same thing, which is great too.
Choose Gifts That Link To Their Hobbies
One of the simplest ways to make a gift feel more personal is to base it on the recipient’s hobbies or interests - is your friend someone who loves baking? You could pick unusual spices, a custom apron, or even a handwritten recipe book with their best dishes in it. If they love books, you can get them a gorgeous, unique bookmark or a subscription to a magazine or, if you’ve got a bigger budget, you could get them a rare copy of a book they love, and so on.
These are just a couple of examples, but if you know what it is they’re into, then you should be able to find something that’s truly personal from you to them. It doesn’t have to be unique (although that’s a bonus) as long as it’s going to mean something to them because that’s what really counts. And they’ll know you were thinking of them and not just grabbing the first thing you saw on the shelf.
Give Handmade Gifts
Handmade gifts don’t just show you care - they’re also unique and although we’ve mentioned that that’s not essential, it’s nice if you can do it as it’s memorable and meaningful. If you’ve got a creative side then you could make your friend or loved one something yourself; you might paint a picture, write a poem, bake some cookies, knit a scarf… the list goes on. In fact, even if you’re not particularly creative you can still make them something because, as the old saying goes, it’s the thought that counts, and if they can see that time and effort has gone into their gift, they’ll really love it even if it isn’t perfect.
If you don’t enjoy making things or doing crafts, don’t worry - you can still get your loved one a handmade gift, it’ll just be handmade by someone else. Take a look on sites like Etsy and you’ll find there are tons of unique, handmade items for sale that cover all kinds of hobbies and interests and that will match your budget, whatever it might be. Or how about going to a local market or a thrift store and seeing what’s available there? You might come away with some surprisingly gorgeous and unusual things that your loved one will treasure, so it’s worth taking a look.
Make It Practical And Thoughtful
Sometimes the most thoughtful and personal gifts are the most practical ones, especially if it’s something that will make the recipient’s life a bit easier - that’s why, if you’re going to give a practical gift, you need to think about what they find challenging in their lives and work out what will make it less of a problem for them. Would a portable charger be handy? Or do they often get dehydrated so a good water bottle would help them? The list goes on.
Although these practical gifts might not be the most exciting at first glance, if they’re something the recipient needs, they’ll use it all the time and that’s wonderful, especially as they’ll think of you when they do. Plus, it shows you’ve really taken the time to consider them and think about helping them, and that’s a lovely gesture all by itself.
Choose Experiences Over Gifts
When you think of gifts, you’ll probably think of things you can wrap up and hand over, but that’s not always the right option - it could be that an experience would be the right choice for your recipient, and that’s especially true if they really don’t need any more stuff in their homes but they’ve always wanted to do something or see something special.
There are experiences to suit everyone, from concert tickets to cooking classes, so once again it’s a matter of knowing the recipient and thinking about what might work for them and bring them joy. If you’re not sure (perhaps because there are so many options or because you don’t know when they’d be free to enjoy the experience), it’s possible to buy gift vouchers for these special events, which means they can book what they want to do at a time that works for them. In that way, you’re not forcing anyone to do something and you’re not going to accidentally double book anything, and they can have fun when the time is right for them.
