There are gifts and there are gifts that people appreciate. It may be better to give than to receive, but it’s nice to see something you will enjoy inside wrapping after receiving a seventh pair of socks, slippers and tie that you may never wear. We may not be children anymore, but we still want to feel like a child now and again. So how do you impress someone who has everything and who still hasn’t worn out the last pair of slippers or tie you bought?
Think Out of and Not in the Box
If you’ve tried everything in every gift shop and still have no answers, you might want to think about a gift that you don’t need to wrap. Gift experiences are great if you know someone who wants to drive a fast car, jump out of a plane or is ripe for having their creases ironed out with an afternoon of massage at a spa. It’s horses for course because not everyone would be overjoyed at the idea of being sent away – possibly to do something they dread?
More than an Experience
If you are going for an ‘experience’ gift, it has to be something personal to make it special. Show some thought and put some effort in to the occasion. It’s family and friends that matter most at celebrations like birthdays and Christmas or any time when you reflect on life, so you should think about showing how much you care by making an effort to get family together. If not, at the very least you can ask people to record a message or use modern technology and have a get together via Skype at your party venue. The perfect gift is the gift that says you care.
The Gift that Nobody thought of Gift
There are some old favorites like chocolates, Single Malt and Champagne, which all say, “I know what you like and I really care”, but eating the chocolates and drinking the present yourself is no gift unless you plan on taking the recipient to a romantic or sentimental location. There are some advantages to planning a Champagne day trip for special occasions. I came across some a nice selection of Champagne hampers here.
It may not be ideal to take your mother or father on a romantic picnic, so you need to think about things that push their buttons. The chances are you’re reading this because you want a quick solution that will make you appear thoughtful and concerned about someone. The best way to feel like that is to be concerned and thoughtful because if someone really deserves your effort, you should go out of your way to please them.
What to Avoid
Avoid looking selfish at all costs. That means no lingerie for your other half and no tickets to the football for your gran unless she really loves the game. Gifts that are of no use to the recipient are a waste of time so you should stick with slippers if you can’t be original. You can try foot rub vouchers, shoulder massage vouchers or vouchers for anything that requires effort, but these are often gestures made one day and regretted for many more. If all else fails, splash out, but still try to make it meaningful.
Morgan Harris is a father to three lovely, but demanding angels who are experts at making me feel special when the time is right and even better at making sure their mother has the perfect gift.
