Selecting Gifts at Christmas

Anyone who really knows me, knows that I take gift-giving very seriously. It is a sacred act. It is an expression of the bond between two people … or the hope of a bond to come.

My philosophy is that the best gifts say something about both the giver and the receiver. The gift should both be something the receiver will appreciate and be something that the giver would give. This is why I’m not big on giving gift cards unless you gussy them up inside a thematic gift basket …. but that’s another post.

Anyway, so how do you select gifts for the people on your holiday gift list?

First, what do you know about each person? Do they have specific interests that will suggest a gift? Your gift can be an acknowledgment of something that person is passionate about. For example, I collect dragons … so anything about dragons is a thoughtful gift.

But you have to be careful there. I’ve been given dragon gifts that weren’t thoughtful … it was obvious the person put no thought into the gift. Buy your gifts from the heart or your disingenuousness will show through.

Does the person on your list have a personality trait that suggests a gift? Maybe they have a very active inner child, so something that lets them “play” would be appreciated.

Also, think about your personality when giving a gift. I have a very strong sense of humor, so gifts that make people smile or laugh are very appropriate for me to give. In fact, I don’t think I’ve every given a gift card that didn’t include a joke in it!

You want the gift you give to evoke an emotion that will bring the two of you together. That emotion could be one of childish joy, nostalgic happiness or even “wow! how cool is that?”

If you have to resort to a sweater or tie … make it special. Once I gave my husband a chenille sweater, in part because we had moved someplace cold and he needed a sweater, but primarily because I knew he would love the texture of the chenille. He wore that sweater until it fell apart.

When you don’t know a person well, it can be difficult to get them a gift they will find special. So you need to focus on what you do know about the person and do your best. Again, when you select your gift from the heart, the message will show through.

Are these fool-proof techniques? Of course not. Gift-giving is an art … not a science. Do your best and learn from the flops. You’ll get better at it if you pay attention and listen to that inner voice that wants only the best for you and others.