How to be a Great Gift Giver
We all want to receive great gifts, and be good at giving, but might be having trouble. Maybe you've found yourself in a position where you aren't sure what gift to give someone.
I've been told I give really thoughtful gifts, and I think the reason for this is relatively simple. My wife is also an amazing gift giver and has given me some of the best gifts I've ever received whilst not spending more than a few dollars on it. So, I'd like to give you some advice in case you find yourself constantly struggling with giving gifts to people you care about.
Understand The Recipient
The first step is understanding what the person you are giving a gift to values. Readers will appreciate reading material, music lovers will appreciate new music, etc.
It is important to avoid the pitfall of buying a gift you would like for other people. It's a pitfall I've fallen into in the past, giving a gift to someone that I would like rather than one they would like.
However, sometimes it is something you love that could make a good gift in the right context. For example, one of my favorite albums is American Idiot, and for this person I know he also likes Green Day and loves vinyl records. I gave the gift of an American Idiot vinyl record to this person with the idea, "this album means a lot to me, and I want to share that love with you". They listened to the album immediately upon going home, and gushed about the sound and the pattern on the vinyl.
This particular gift giving 'tactic' can be tricky to execute, as it requires enough self-awareness to make your intentions clear to the person receiving said gift and ensuring your intentions are sincere to yourself.
Sometimes, people care less about gifts and more about experiences. While I do not think 'love languages' are actually a thing, there is something to be said about gift preferences...
Not All Gifts Are Things
Sometimes a great gift to someone is not as much an item of some sentimentality, but rather the quality time spent with you. This can be hard for other people to understand if they are the type to value materials.
My mother is the type of person that would love to just have a nice dinner and spend time with you rather than actually "receiving" anything in the materialist sense.
These types of people value little outings, quality time, dinner, etc. The dollar amount doesn't matter, as long as they are around people they love.
Sentimentality Goes a Long Way
The best gifts I've received come from my wife. Pretty much all of the most meaningful gifts she's given to me are incredibly meaningful and she maybe only spent a few dollars for supplies.
One of the best gifts she's given me is a booklet of 365 notes entitled "A Year of Observations". It was a valentine's day gift in which every day for a year she made a note of something she loved about me, or a particular action I did that she loved. For example, writing about the time I woke up early to take care of our daughter so she could sleep in, or simple gratitude for taking care of her for being sick.
For majority of people, it is the effort in which the gift was obtained rather than the dollar amount spent that makes a gift significant. As the saying goes, it is the thought that counts.
Listen
From one of the people who claim I give incredibly thoughtful gifts, the reason I'm able to do so is the simple fact I listen, and take notes.
From conversations I've had with this person, I've gathered information that would allow me to acquire for them a thoughtful gift for their birthday and Christmas for the next 5 years.
From just general conversation, I know they love Vinyl records, music, and literature. I've learned obscure artists that they like such as Kraftwerk (a German electronic band), their favorite classical composer is Tchaikovsky, and have a feel for their favorite genres or albums they might be particularly nostalgic for. They always are dumbfounded when I tell them that "oh yeah, you mentioned you really liked this in a conversation we had months ago whilst talking about XYZ subject."
I think that the fact I've been able to give gifts that are meaningful to them is what drove them to get me one of my favorite items in my collection, a sealed copy of Green Day's album - 1000 Hours.
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