Regardless if you are looking to buy a gift for your parents, your significant other, or a coworker, finding the perfect gift can really be a serious challenge. Add into the mix that throughout the year you have Christmas, birthdays, their wedding anniversary, and other holidays to consider.
Although you really want to spoil those special family members or close friends, these times of the year can really start making you feel pressured to deliver the right gift.
It doesn’t matter your level of shopping experience, the following information on how to choose the right gift will have you looking like you really took the time to carefully consider each and every gift you buy.
Understanding personal preferences
Everyone has those things that they simply love, and even if you miss the mark a little, as long as you are in that ballpark, you can still hit a home-run with a gift idea. Start by drawing up a decent list of all the things the person you are buying the gift for would enjoy.
Maybe they have a favourite television show, perhaps they are a hobbyist, or maybe they are just in love with every dog related. If you discover this person loves to go metal detecting and they have the equipment, you start by looking at things that are related to this hobby they don’t already own.
There are tons of places where you could get a metal detecting t-shirt made, or perhaps there is a book or two on that hobby they don’t own that could help them enhance their love of the hobby.
Becoming a better listener
The person that you are trying to buy a gift for has been dropping hints all year, you just have not been tuned into the right frequency.
They could have been complaining about their back pain all year long, so maybe a trip to the local spa for an hour of massage is in order. Maybe they have been talking about going out to a certain restaurant, but never seem to have the time.
Make those reservations and they will find the time. If they have been talking about getting in shape but don’t have the time, maybe two memberships to the local gym, one for each of you, will get them to finally get excited about having a workout buddy.
Planning a special event
If you are really stumped on the perfect gift idea, consider planning an event instead. Maybe the two of you saw a Jimmy Buffet concert back in the 1970s when you were in college together.
Instead of getting them a tee shirt or a CD, go buy a ticket to when Jimmy is playing at a local arena and surprise them with the tickets. They will look forward to a repeat performance and another special time together.
If you want to remind them of a special place you traveled, then look for a fancy restaurant that caters to that specific cuisine. Just think about a memory you share, and try to recreate the event today, this requires just a little creativity on your part.
Learning to take notes
One great trick for picking out a great gift is to simply pretend you are a private investigator for a week and take great notes. The person you are buying for is going to leave clues, your job is to find them.
Start each day by listening to when this person talks, and just write down whenever they say they need or want something. It might be a coffee, a new dress, or tools for doing some landscaping. Keep adding to the list each day, until you see a pattern emerge.
You might discover your dad has been talking about various yard tools because his property is a mess. Spoil him by paying a landscaper to do the whole property one weekend, it will be functional and show you really took the time to care about what they truly needed.
Keeping in mind shared experiences
One of the best ways to start considering a great gift for that special someone, think all about the things that the two of you have done together. It doesn’t matter if we are talking parent, sibling, or best friend, the two of you have shared experiences that no one else has.
Maybe you went to your first concert together, so see if any vintage shops sell that particular concert tee. There may have been a Broadway play that you both saw, look for anything related to that subject matter.
Then perhaps you went on a trip to the islands together, have a photograph turned into a memento or find something that is specific for the location you two visited. This is all about reconnecting to a memory only the two of you share.
Avoiding the old standbys
Don’t make the mistake of giving up too early on your gift idea and settling for things like candy, flowers, or gift cards. These gifts say that you really didn’t take the time to buy something special, you just phoned this one in.
When you are completely clueless as to what to buy them, do the next best thing, start asking those in their inner circle. Maybe you gave up on getting your father something because he has everything, call his coworkers, friends, or siblings, see if he mentioned anything to any of them about something he really needs.
Usually when these folks are in a relaxed atmosphere, they tend to open up more. If you can get to their inner circle, you can find great gift ideas that will really surprise them.
When it comes to learning how to choose the right gift, it is all about stepping back and paying closer attention to the needs and wants of this person. They may be into material things, they may be into the experiences, listen more closely and then use their leads for the ideas to coming up with the perfect gift idea.
If you spend a little time doing this, you will become that one person who always delivers the goods as far as the best presents ever.
Here are few of our ideas: