Gift giving is an art and hence choosing the perfect gift can be a real challenge. More often than not, we simply grab something on the way to the party rather than putting time and effort into choosing the right gift specifically for that person. So here are some factors to think about before you make mistakes when buying gifts.
We prefer to buy material gifts
Sure, there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting a new cell phone or a handbag that the person receiving the gift has expressly requested. However, if the person did not want a specific item, the recipient is usually happier about an experience: for example, tickets for a concert or an invitation to dinner. When buying a gift, we often tend to buy something tangible because the person receiving the gift can do something with it right away. However, experiences can be cherished and felt and hence they leave lasting memories.
We assume that “expensive” equals “good”
You are in the city and simply cannot find anything that you can give to someone you know. Then you stop in front of a fancy shop and think: “If I give my aunt an expensive perfume, she will certainly be happy.” But that is the wrong idea! A high price does not necessarily predict how often the recipient will use your gift after opening it and how they will like it, which is why they do not appreciate these factors. You can buy something cheaper, but something you are sure that the person will find a use for it.
We want to prove how well we know the person
A personal gift is always well received. But sometimes we want so much to impress a person and show them how well we know them that we focus on a single trait and buy an extremely specific gift that only applies to them. However, if everyone focuses on his one trait, the recipient will get very similar gifts. Let’s say he likes books and everyone knows it. So, for his birthday, he only gets books. For a girlfriend and jewellery lover, consider bumble bee jewelry, necklaces, bracelets and other fancy bling.
We buy gifts that the recipient can use directly
Gift givers often choose gifts that can be enjoyed or used immediately after unpacking, Recipients, on the other hand, are willing to wait in order to later enjoy the gift in its full glory. This also applies to objects: the person will probably be more pleased about a deposit for an expensive watch than about a cheap watch that you can give them as a gift.
Imperfect gifts of higher quality are not appreciated the moment they are unpacked, but are all the more valuable when they can be used later. You can gift them something even more special such as a fund for his college education. Usually, many relatives get together and pool in money for such occasions. Rather than gifting separately, such a fund would be of immense value when he finally goes out to college.