How to Nail Gift-Giving This Holiday Season

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Christmas is here, and it’s the season of giving. While it might seem like an easy thing to do, there are things such as bad gifts. No one wants to spend their time looking for a gift and end up getting a ‘bad’ one. It also makes no sense to give someone a gift that they end up regifting because they have no use for it. To avoid such situations, these tips should come in handy for you.

Plan Ahead

The one thing that leads to unthoughtful gifts is getting them last minute. Take time to plan out your gift-giving way before you get into the Christmas spirit. It will give you enough time to think through what you want to buy and whether or not the gift is worth the hassle. Planning can also ensure you get a custom gift that takes a while to make, which is often received very well.

Base the Gift on the Person

When it comes to gifts, there is no one size fit all. Every person you interact with is different, and this should be shown in the gift. It would be insensitive, for instance, to get everyone a movie ticket to one movie when they all do not watch the same genre of movies. To help you with this, these steps will come in handy.

• Categorize your recipients in terms of how well you know them. Category A can have acquaintances, category B can have friends or people you have interacted with for a while, and category C can have your close circle.
• For category A, getting them a gift card or a general gift might not be a bad idea since chances are, you hardly know them so well.
• For category B, take the time to find out their likes and get them a meaningful gift.
• For category C, go all-out since they are people you know. The gifts should be more sentimental as that is the connection you share with them.

Have a Budget

Over the years, the amount of money spent on gifts has kept on reducing. While it is not a bad thing to save up when buying a gift, no one wants a cheap gift that shows. You can still find affordable gifts like a cuckoo clock that look like you put effort into. Remember that perception is everything. If it looks cheap to you, then it will look cheap for everyone.

Invest in Packaging

A good gift badly wrapped can be received with an attitude. There is no greater joy than unwrapping a gift that is well wrapped. Take the time to wrap your gift well and include a card. For a more personalized and thoughtful addition, have a handwritten card with a personalized message inside. The cards will stay way longer after the gift has been used, so make your words count.

Give the Gift at the Right Time

Other than not giving a gift, giving it at the wrong time is another no-no. It would make no sense if you got someone a Christmas gift that got to them in January. Christmas gifts are meant for the Christmas season. If you plan on getting someone a custom gift that takes a while to make, it will make sense if you got them the gift earlier to be delivered at just the right time. If you are planning on gift-giving at a party, then do not give the gift early. Everyone would love to open their gift when everyone else is doing so. Do not ruin that for them.

Where in Doubt, Give a Gift Card, Not Money

If you are still unsure of what to get someone, then a gift card would make more sense than money. While they are almost the same thing, giving money always feels like you did not go through any trouble looking for a gift. It is a better option with the gift card since you have at least gone to a shop and seen something the recipient might like, so you got them a card to splurge with.

Gift-giving should not be a hectic thing to do. All it will require is you put in some thought. Do not lose sight of the whole idea of Christmas. It is time to be grateful for the year and to spend it with the people you love. Making time for them and being present will be worth more than any gift you could get them.