Giving gifts at Christmas

5 tips on how to choose the best Christmas present.

 
We all know that Christmas isn't - or at least shouldn't be - about presents. However, let's face it: gifts are a big part of Christmas.

So if we accept that giving a present a Christmas is a big part of the celebration, one may as well choose the right Christmas gift. An inappropriate gift, one that doesn't reflect the recipient's taste or worse, one that seems thoughtless and without heart, will not bring the joy that was intended.

Some of us are gifted in the art of giving gifts (don't you just love that?). Unfortunately, for most of us it doesn't come naturally. We stumble along, and sometimes our best intentions, shall we say, don’t quite hit the mark! The gift we chose ends up in the back of a closet (or worse), a waste of money and a missed opportunity to show someone that we truly care.

So here’s a list of 5 tips that should help you to choose the right (ie: special and unique) Christmas gifts (or present – depending on how you like to term it.)

Choose a Christmas gift that matches the recipient's personality.

      
Of course, that’s easier said than done. Usually, it is not the presents for our nearest and dearest that end in disaster but those gifts we choose for people we don’t really know that well: colleagues, teachers, your husband's cousin in Te Anau. But it isn't really necessary to know intimate details. Just think about it a bit and maybe you know more than you thought.

Also think of their needs, or comments that have been made – “I always see the kids rooms in such a mess” (how about a storage room organiser?) “He’s always got razor cuts” (how about a new razor?)

Hasn't your colleague recently taken up an interest in interior design? Perhaps a new, cool household furnishing item that’s different and interesting? Hasn’t your daughter's boyfriend recently started a new job in the corporate world – perhaps some stylish cufflinks would really set the standard on the new business shirts he’ll be wearing?

These examples give you an idea of how to link the interest to the gift. A key here is to brainstorm first, before shopping, or look online for some gift ideas, click here.

Also, don't be afraid to ask others for some insight if they know the recipient better than you do. A gift that is tailored to someone's interests is always the best.

There is no accounting for taste – you’ve been warned.

      
And if you are not completely sure that you know what your recipient's taste is, stay well clear of buying anything that relies heavily on personal taste.

You probably know which new earrings your best friend (whose taste mirrors yours) would love. However, candle holders for your mother-in-law or a garden dwarf for a distant cousin are something else. Even if your taste is impeccable, can you be sure that the same can be said for the recipient?
  

Personalise your gifts

So now that the easy option of merely selecting some meaningless present is not an option, what should you do if, after wracking your brain all afternoon, you still can’t come up with a good idea? Go with something innocuous - something that’s relatively generic, but still special.

Food stuff (as long as you are fairly certain the recipient eats dairy products/sweets/meat/anything at all) is a good starting point. If it is something tasty, even if the recipient doesn't care for it, someone else in the family is sure to enjoy it. 

Another option is to bundle a variety of things (maybe make it a themed present). For example you could combine a scented candle, a new diary, a picture album, some body lotion and a box of chocolates for a new Mom. And finally there is always the old standby of a gift voucher.

So what has all that to do with personalizing your gifts? After all, these presents, while nice, are hardly individual.

Well, this is where your creativity comes in. Wrapping it up lovingly, providing a thoughtful gift tag and adding some decorative touches (preferably handmade) makes all the difference. They turn a nice gift in to a gift that shows you care. Even if the gift itself does not fulfil a heart's desire (remember, you couldn't for the life of you figure out what that should be or you would have stopped reading this list at tip number one), it shows that you put some thought into it and wanted to give something special.

And what if the recipient really doesn't like the purple wrapping paper with the orange, blue and yellow stars you chose? Well, it doesn't matter, because, after all, it is just wrapping paper and will inevitably end up in the trash.

Choose good quality products.

  
No matter what you buy, nothing shouts "I don't care" louder than a cheap, nasty present.

That does not mean you have to spend a lot. There are many, many inexpensive products that still are good quality. And there are some ridiculously overpriced pieces of junk on offer. Who needs a toy that falls apart on the first day, perfume that causes a rash or a set of candlesticks that does not properly hold the candles? If you want to be a successful gift giver, make sure you buy things that work well and hold up to their intended use.

(A note here – Kookychoo only selects the best quality products available and we take great care in insuring that you will never had a “bad gift giving experience”).

As sales people say “the quality will remain, long after the price is forgotten!”

Do not overdo it.

      
Some of us have a tendency to go overboard when buying gifts.

If you are among those that live in mortal fear of their credit card bills after the holidays - work on curbing this tendency; not only for your own sake, but also for the gift recipients.

While we all love to get presents, most of us feel uncomfortable if the gift we get is (much) more than we expected. It makes us feel indebted and puts pressure on us to return the favour in equal measure. Avoid causing that kind of embarrassment and do not overspend.

Remember it’s the thought that counts, and always share the love.