Your guide to becoming the perfect gift giver

Be honest – do you wait until the last minute to start looking for presents? While you are definitely not alone in this ritual, it is something you might want to try to change. Starting your shopping early can have a number of advantages, particularly when stocking up for holidays such as Christmas.

For instance, it gives you plenty of time to come up with ideas for what you should buy your friends or family members. The more time you have to think and research - the easier it will be to narrow down the ultimate baby gift, it also means you will not have to rush at the last minute either. 

If you plan in advance rather than last minute you can go shopping online which increases your gift buying possibilities as you'll have time to factor in the delivery of the gift. 

The closer it gets to tholidays such as Christmas, the higher the prices creep up. So, if you wait too long, you mightl have to shell out quite a bit more for what you want. Save your money by being an early bird. 

Now is the time to put your thinking cap on as you make a list. Here, you can write down everything the recipient loves. This can include food, hobbies, experiences, and more. Once you have done this, you can move onto the things they need. 

If you are lucky, you should be able to find a few good ideas in one of these lists. At the very least, you will have some notion of which direction you should head off in. However, what if this list isn’t as helpful as you might have hoped? 

In this instance, write down different personality traits of the person you are shopping for. What really captures their spirit? Are they happy, adventurous, down-to-earth, serious, intellectual? Then try to determine how to use this information to find a gift that is perfectly suited to them. 

Unfortunately, you cant ask your friend or family member what they want, outright. Well, you can but it's unlikely you'll receive an answer that will be of any use to you. This is why you have to rely on an informant instead. 

Ask someone else that is close to the recipient to do a little investigative work for you. Since the questions will be coming from another source, they may be a bit more forthcoming. At the very least, the other person will be able to offer you a few ideas that you might not have come up with yet. 

If you are still coming up empty, it is time to get creative. Often, the reason you get stuck for gift ideas is because you are restricting yourself too much. If you are only focused on the same kind of presents then you'll run out of inspiration. 

For instance, let’s imagine that you are looking for something for a music lover in your life. Now, traditional routes would be vouchers for songs, tickets, etc. If this doesn’t really fit the bill, however, you can just give them a gift that keeps on giving. You can sign up your friend or family member to receive music subscription boxes! This way, they can get something music-related and exciting every month. 

Similarly, if you're aware of their passion for wine, think about surprising them with a wine monthly subscription, allowing them to savor a variety of exceptional wines each month, added wine merchant Seven Cellars.    

Another example is to think about what your friend's office looks like and what his habits are. This can give you lots of ideas to give him a gift for his workspace, and if you get stuck this list focused on office stuff can help you find something. In the end, it's about finding something he can use every day, something he can really appreciate.

This is simply scraping the surface, though. There really are many wonderful out-of-the-box ideas to select from. When in doubt, you can simply put smaller presents together to make up a larger, more meaningful gift. The sky really is the limit for you. 

If a regular old present isn’t doing the trick, it may be time to think a little bigger. Instead of a physical gift, you can give someone an experience that they will never forget. As you can imagine, such a gesture is typically limited to close friends and family members. 

Not to mention, an experience can be more expensive than your average present. Nevertheless, you can be certain that it will be worth every penny. So, if you really want to make an impact, this is the way to go. 

You may be wondering what an “experience” entails, exactly. Well, it can be anything that will interest the recipient. If they are an adventurer, a local or foreign trip will be excellent. On the other hand, if they are a sports enthusiast, you can buy them tickets to a significant game. There are even suitable retirement gifts for seniors going into retirement, so there's something for everyone.

If you are still having trouble, think of the connection you share with this individual. What memory or association between the two of you stand out the most? Once you have figured this out, see how you can find a present that is symbolic of this. Thus, every time the person sees it, they will be reminded of you and the friendship or love that you share. 

In case you are still feeling a little stuck, go ahead and find something that the two of you can do together. It may be a class, massage, or anything else where you can enjoy each other’s company. In short, you will be able to give them the gift of friendship. 

Keep up with the top stories from Reader’s Digest by subscribing to our weekly newsletter.

 Banner image credit: Image by Bob Dmyt from Pixabay