Your Ultimate Guide on Picking the Perfect Gift for Anyone

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – or at least until you have to start picking presents for your loved ones, right?

Whether we talk about birthdays, Christmas or baby showers, choosing the perfect gift can turn into the most stressful task. We want to offer something practical, but beautiful too; make it look impressive, but still keep it simple.

So how can we bring joy into our loved ones’ lives with a useful, meaningful present?

I’m well aware of the struggles implied by finding the right gift, so I’ve started looking into the science of finding the ideal gift without having a breakdown.

Are you ready? Let’s have a look!

1. Give problem-solvers…

Sometimes we become so irresolute that we end up choosing 10 different items and pack them into one giant gift. But are they really useful?

While it’s true that gifts must provide us with happiness, we should also consider that the perfect gift should remove negativity from your loved ones’ lives.

Here are a few examples of problem-solving presents:

• Boredom: there are a zillion family games available today, turning any boring meeting into an unforgettable party; you can also try blind taste tests, puzzles or even science projects depending on your love one’s interests.
• Pain: is your friend often complaining about back pain? Then a massage pillow might be just what they need for their special occasion!
• Motivation: If your loved one has many useful ideas, but lacks motivation to get started (or finish them!), they might need a well-organized agenda to track their activities. You might even purchase an app which would surely be appreciated by IT enthusiasts.

2. … not more problems!

Problem-solving gifts are probably the easiest way of bringing a smile on your loved ones’ face. However, in your quest for the ideal present, you might end up giving them even more chores than they need. It all comes down to one big philosophy:

Don’t offer gift cards.

If you give someone a gift card, they can just get whatever they want, right? Well, it may seem that way, but this gesture only means sending the burden of choosing a gift to your special someone instead of solving it by yourself.

3. Give practical plants

Let’s face it, we all like to offer the most beautiful gifts that amaze our loved ones. However, offering giant bouquets of flowers that must be thrown away several days later may not always do the trick.

Instead, you might want to consider purchasing a unique house plant that enhances any room in their house for years. While they may not take people aback like giant flower bouquets do, they’re definitely more practical and will make your special someone think of you every time they look at them.

4. Don’t be too thoughtful

One of the most important aspects of offering a gift is to prove how much we care about those around us and how well we know them. However, sometimes we may cross the line and become too intrusive into our loved ones’ needs.

In other words, if your special someone is asking for a sweater, don’t try to give them a designer custom-made dress. Giving them just what they ask for is sometimes the best gift ever!

5. ‘But I have everything I need!’

This is probably the most difficult moment of them all. What if your loved one says “I already have everything I need” when you ask them what they would like to receive?

Clearly, you can’t just give up and not offer anything. Ironically, most of the times the people closest to us say these things, with parents occupying the first place in the chart.

So why not give them the most precious gift there is?

Your presence.

Giving somebody your time is by far the most special present you can ever offer. It is priceless and irrecuperable, so whether you’ll plan a get-together or a virtual dinner, it will make your parents the happiest people in the world.

BONUS TIP: Bringing some sentimentalism

Regardless of what you choose to buy, adding a personal touch to it can make it very special. For example, if you’re going to buy a piece of jewelry, you can engrave a name or birth date discretely to turn it into a unique, priceless present.

Haven’t bought anything special? You can make it special by wrapping your gift in a unique way or including a thoughtful letter telling your special someone how much they mean to you. Although you may have only offered a plain sweater, that one letter can turn it into an unforgettable treasure.

Overall, offering presents may seem like a daunting task, but if you’re well-organized and get a little creative, you can definitely make the most out of this wonderful experience!