HOW TO BE A CREATIVE GIFT GIVER
There are two types of people on your holiday gift list: Those you have to get a gift for and those you want to get a gift for. For the first group, it’s a matter of grabbing something and checking them off the list. For the second group, it’s a different matter entirely. There’s agonizing and worrying. There’s shopping and shopping. And then, too often, there’s feeling like you’ve failed.
How can you eliminate the stress and feel more successful with that second group? Get creative. Following are a few ways to go beyond the basics and give a gift that will let your recipient know you weren’t simply checking them off the list.
Know your recipient. It might seem obvious, but think first about what you know about the recipient. “I’ve always believed that literally anything on earth, any object, any piece of trash, anything you find in a store, can be a perfect gift,” New Yorker food writer Helen Rosner told Vox.com. “It can be a Tootsie Pop or a $10,000 diamond-encrusted cocktail shaker. What’s important is matching the right thing to the right person.”
Take it up a notch. So, you know your recipient loves a certain author. Don’t just get a copy of a book; get a special edition. Your friend likes elephants? Don’t buy a figurine; arrange a visit to the elephant enclosure at a zoo. This doesn’t have to mean spending more; it just means thinking more.
Get an assist. Don’t be afraid to ask someone else for insights – a spouse, a sibling, a co-worker. They might spark an idea that truly surprises your recipient.
Give experiences, not things. One more thing won’t be memorable. But an experience? That can be memorable. Consider things like tickets to an event, a fun class or a behind-the-scenes visit to a favorite haunt. An experience will always be better than one more scented candle or another gift card.
Make it rather than buy it. Nothing says “creative” like something you make yourself. Sure: It requires some time and risk. (“What if it turns out awful?”) It will be worth it: You’ll enjoy the time spent creating the gift, and even a less-than perfect gift will be more memorable than something with a price tag on it.
Go for the heart. The bottom line with all of these options: Aim for the heart. Whether you strike a nostalgic chord, demonstrate how well you know the recipient or simply reveal that you care, your heartfelt creativity will make the gift memorable.
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