I love giving gifts. I love finding something that I know will be perfect and I definitely love when someone opens a gift I’ve given them and are excited about it. I am consistently told by friends that I am a good gift giver and told how difficult they find it to be. So I decided to think about my gift giving process and share some of the things that I feel are the most important.
Giving isn’t just for special occasions
I give gifts throughout the year and for no special occasion; this is something I learned from my mom. She taught me that gifts aren’t just about birthdays or holidays; that the point of a gift is to let the person know that you’re thinking about them and you wanted to give them a little joy. These gifts usually aren’t large or expensive but are something that they might need or just something that you thought would make them smile. For example, my husband got a new car, which he will work out of, so I went out and got him accessories for his car like a charging cord, microfiber cloths (for cleaning his hands) and other small things. Sure, he could buy all these things himself but its nice to get a little something and also to create a mini-celebration.
Another aspect of this is that you can find something but want to give it for a specific occasion that may be a ways off ; BUY IT ANYWAY if you’re sure because you don’t want to be kicking yourself later when its sold out. All of us know the feeling! I usually don’t buy things for an occasion that is outside of a return window just in case I find something better; but, these days, most stores have at least 90-day return windows (except for special items like electronics) so its not usually a problem.
Listen + Keep a List
Having a gift list is a great idea because you can write down general interests to use for inspiration or for actual gift ideas. Its also helpful because sometimes you get a great idea for a gift but its not near a birthday or holiday and it may be too big a gift just to spring on someone. I know I said I give gifts throughout the year but giving bigger gifts that often can get a little expensive!
Don’t procrastinate
The likelihood of you finding a great gift at the last minute is pretty low. Sometimes you luck out and find the absolute perfect thing by chance but those times are few and far between! I usually decide what I want to get at least 3 weeks in advance and then give myself that time to go out and purchase it because finding exactly what I want can sometimes prove to be a little difficult. This all depends on who I’m purchasing for; kids are usually pretty easy and I don’t need that much time. But if I’m making a gift basket or looking for something specific, I give myself more time. Also, if its something that I’m not sure they may already have or that it might not fit, I always include a gift receipt.
think about what you would want …
… if you had the same interests as who you’re buying for. Let me explain.
That leaves me with toiletry bag, after-workout snacks, fitness equipment and meal prep items. I also know she loves beauty products so I might get a cute toiletry bag and fill it with some travel-sized products that she could use after her workout. As for meal prep items, I could get her a cool travel bag that’s specifically made for meal prepping, a snack tube to stash in her gym bag or some cool travel containers.
My friend is a mother of three crazy children, works a full-time job and is also going back to school – so getting to the gym might become difficult for her and getting something that would enable her to get a good workout in at home might be a good idea! Food is alway a good option but I would also have to consider what her nutrition goals are – for example, I always thought she was on a keto/high fat diet but just the other day she told me she was focusing on protein to build muscle. This is super important and so if I were going to go the food route – I might pay for a few months of a cool food delivery service and let her choose what she wants. That way its still a gift but its tailored to her needs. Which leads me to ….
food is always good!
Sharing something that you find delicious is fun because it is gifting an experience as well. Just make sure to consider any diet restrictions they might have and their tastes – you don’t want to give peanut brittle to someone with an allergy or wine to someone who doesn’t care for it.
Its always fun to create a little basket of things that go together. A hot cocoa basket, a get well basket, and a mixed drink basket are all fun ideas that you can quickly throw together.
Gifting experiences
I am a big fan of gifting experiences. Giving massages to a local day spa is my favorite for expectant mothers and friends of mine that have been having a rough time. Fancy mani/pedis, blow-outs and facials are also good ideas for those who like beauty treatments. Wine tasting tours, fishing trips, baking/cooking and crafts classes and horse-backing riding adventures are are great ideas that I’ve given or received. Obviously this kind of gift has to be planned, so it might not be a surprise but it’ll still be fun! Just make sure to do your research and insure that the place isn’t shady or dangerous.
Homemade gifts are great
Wrapping matters
Don’t fear the gift card
Be a good gift receiver
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