UGH. Choosing gifts for people can be hard.
One of the main reasons gift buying is so challenging is because it can be stressful to try and think of what the other person would truly like, want or need. Getting inside someone’s brain to figure out the perfect gift is no easy feat, especially if your taste is very different from theirs.
As Psychology Today reports, “although empathy and attunement have been shown to be extremely important to healthy psychological development, even the most attuned person does not always have the ability to know what another person wants”. You can’t argue with science.
But it’s not only the lack of knowledge that makes what should be a simple process complicated. You can also have a real fear of judgement or rejection, especially if you’ve had a bad gift-buying experience in the past like this one. It’s enough to make you sweat.
So while I can’t teach you how to get into your loved one’s brain, I can share a few gift ideas that you may not have thought of to help you get out of your gift-buying rut.
Choose an experience over more ‘stuff’
OK, this gift idea isn’t good for business, but I think it’s a useful one. Companies such as Red Balloon specialise in turning bucket list experiences into reality. You can search for the perfect gift via location, experience type or budget, or simply get them a voucher so they can choose something themselves (even less stress and commitment!).
Fancy food for the win
My sister and I usually buy each other restaurant vouchers for our birthdays, because we’re both foodies and it gives us a chance to have a fancy dinner at a fancy restaurant that we probably wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. Plus, we get to be really annoying and take photos of our meals so we can share the experience with each other in real-time!
Teach them something. It’s about time.
A cooking class or art class makes a fantastic gift because they get to learn a new skill, and you potentially get to reap the rewards. Unless what they made is really crappy of course. But choose right, and it’s a win-win. My husband and his best mate are about to do a Bourke Street Bakery Sourdough Master Class, and I can’t wait for the delicious aroma of freshly baked sourdough to fill our house when he gets home.
A quick tip on vouchers: Although the expiry date laws have changed recently to be more generous, do keep an eye on the voucher expiry day for them and remind them when it’s getting close if they haven’t used it yet. I once bought my husband a voucher for expensive golf lessons, and he forgot to use it before it expired. The golf shop refused to be flexible with this, and the money-down-the-drain birthday still haunts me to this day.
Opt for practical for certain occasions
If you’re looking for a gift for someone who’s just come out of hospital, or a present for parents with a newborn baby, sometimes help around the house can be more appreciated than another stuffed bunny or blanket. A meal delivery service such as The Dinner Ladies delivers delicious home cooking direct to their door. Or maybe hiring a professional cleaner is exactly what they need. Maid to Clean in Melbourne offers gift vouchers for house cleaning. In their words “In a world where people are happier when they have more time, what better present or treat for friends/family than a gift card towards their housework? Give somebody back their time and they’ll thank you forever!” Sounds good to me!
Choose sentimental – but don’t overthink it
Where did you first meet? In Kings Cross at 3am? Great! Then why not give a wrist band and a chicken kebab as a present? Only joking of course. My point being, think back to a moment that was significant for you and your loved one, and try and incorporate it somehow into the gift.
For our five-year wedding anniversary, my husband bought me a wooden cheeseboard with our wedding date engraved on it. It also has a cute message to do with adventure something something forever something always. How romantic! It’s taken pride of place next to the stove, so we will always be able to remember our wedding date, plus be reminded of all the cheese parties that are ahead of us.
Send a gift hamper. I know where you can get one.
I left the best gift idea until last. Gift hampers make the perfect gift because you get a few gifts in one! You’re really hedging your bets that they’ll love at least one of those items – smart and safe! And when it’s a Gift Boss gift hamper, you can be confident that the products are all stylish, practical or fun, vetted by real human beings to ensure maximum delight. Plus they’re packaged in our signature rigid Kraft boxes and colourful patterned wrap, so they’ll look just as good on opening as when they left our Gift Boss-atorium.
If you need help choosing the right gift hamper for your gift recipient, you can email us at hello@giftboss.com.au. We’d be happy to try and get into their brain and help you choose the perfect gift hamper to suit the occasion. I can also send you instructions on how to make a grass head if that’s more suitable.
Happy gifting!
Jasmine