The glitter and the sparkle, the comforting scent of your fir tree, the gifts scattered underneath, the red and white stockings that hungrily await the sweets and goodies, all these and a lot more are what makes Christmas a much-awaited season. It is a season of merry-making and most especially, of gift-giving. It is a time where you would want to give back to those who have touched your life in a special way.
It is, however, a well-known fact that choosing amongst a whole galore of gift options can be quite stressful. To help out, we have solicited a few tips from Santa’s elves to help you pick the perfect gift for the perfect people this season:
1) Your budget and your list
Time to empty out your coin banks. Check what you have in store and set your budgets accordingly. Once you’ve determined your limit, you can start jotting down the names of all you would want to give your gifts to. The more flexible your budget, the longer your list will go.
2) No one size fits all
It is tempting to just buy a common gift for everyone, but that would make it less special. There has to be something suited for each one. A watch or a bracelet may do for your loved one. A string of pearls would be best for your mom. A golf set should be enough for your dad. Age-specific toys are of course for the little ones. And, yes, the gadgets will be for your tech-savvy siblings. A group gift such as mince pies can do for friends or colleagues. And lastly, a snowglobe or anything to put on the desk should be great for your boss to remember you by.
Key is, your mindset should be that of who you are giving the gifts to. You should know what they want, what is appropriate and what would make them happy.
3) Consumables or keepsakes
You would most certainly want your gifts to be kept and treasured by a loved one hence a keepsake is what you should give. It may be something that the person would wear or see very often such as a painting to be hung in the living room or bedroom, a necklace or a belt perhaps. Clothes and shoes are not really part of keepsakes as these can wear out easily and be thrown away at some point, although, if clothes and shoes would make your partner happy then clothes and shoes it should be.
Consumables such as food will definitely be the best choice for those whom you simply wish to have a festive year-end celebration.
4) Wrapped or unwrapped
Nowadays, gifts can be in the form of tickets to fun parks or concerts which need not be wrapped in colorful gift-boxes. Although the same amount of gratefulness can be expected, the truth of the matter is, there still is a child in everyone, a child who wants that element of surprise. Somehow, the thrill of tearing gift-wrappers before seeing what’s inside remains unparalleled. Next time you buy a ticket or a voucher, you may want to stash these under a thick layer of styros before neatly wrapping these in a box. Surprise, surprise indeed.
5) ‘My choice or your choice’
Money or gift vouchers are often considered, the sentimental value would however then be absent. You can choose the gifts or let loose your ‘giftees’ in the mall to choose their own. A person who loves to shop would always be happy with the idea of which, or to receive a voucher, to say the least. People who appreciate the thought and effort, on the other hand, would appreciate a gift that you had to go to the moon and back just to have and give to them.
On the other hand, if money would be helpful to the person receiving this, then it would be far better than any memento.
It is this time of the year where you can reach out even to those whose names and faces have been oblivious to you. It can be in the form of a colleague whom you’ve never worked closely with, or even those who have indirectly helped you such as your building cleaners, the security personnel or random construction workers who helped build your roads and railways. A gift can spark a beautiful friendship after. It can touch lives and bring joy and hope. Christmas, after all, is a season of love, joy, and peace. So go ahead and bring out that Santa in you. Paint a smile in the faces of many with the gift you carry and most especially with the gift of having you.
