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Every person has at least one family member, loved one, or friend for whom purchasing gifts can be difficult. How many of us have heard the words, "Oh, you shouldn't have?" When I worked in retail, I had customers who wanted to purchase a unique gift for someone "who has everything" for a holiday or birthday. Instead of enjoying these special occasions, my customers were feeling stress over whether or not their gifts would be appreciated and valued. Generally speaking, a gift does communicate a great deal about how well you know the person receiving the gift. There is some truth to the cliché, "It's the thought that counts." Merely thinking to purchase a gift may not mean much, as gift giving is a social must in certain situations. However, the quality of thought behind a gift is significant. Quality of thought does not have to be a painstaking, time-consuming experience. Nor is it only for the super creative among us. For instance, my husband purchased gorgeous tear drop earrings for me for Valentine's Day. He admitted that he chose them fairly quickly, but the fact that he remembered how much I love tear drops meant more than the time behind his choice. Gathering data for gift ideas can be very easy by paying attention to social conversations. Most people are very willing to talk about what interests them, some with more prompting than others. Pertinent and clever questions are also a good method for learning more about a person's taste, style, and interests. Gift ideas based on even the smallest amount of data are numerous and readily available. The vast amount of information and products available through web surfing makes the Internet a valuable resource. Through this outlet, customized, personalized, and hand crafted gifts are becoming more popular. These unique gifts are often valued by even the most difficult person on your gift list. Customized gifts are made per the specifications of the customer. They can be based on a model or design, or be done completely from "scratch." This ensures that the gift is truly unique. For instance, anyone can purchase a standard serving platter this Christmas. How unique would it be to have a serving platter designed with a specific person in mind, perhaps to match their kitchen or dining decor? Personalized gifts have the person's name included, although personalization may mean more than one name. This is a fabulous gift idea for children. Almost every child is excited to see his or her own name on an item, especially if the item is customized with something that interests them. For instance, a little girl interested in horses would love a shirt with a horse on it. Imagine the delight when she receives a horse shirt with her own name! Even adults and teenagers appreciate certain gifts that are personalized, with names or monograms. Welcome signs, door mats, towels, napkins, bathrobes, etc, are often done with personalization. Personalizing something makes the gift unique to one person, increasing its value in that person's eyes. Hand crafted gifts are highly valuable if they are quality workmanship. Some, like hand painted clothing, pottery, and jewelry, are even considered art. A beautiful hand crafted gift often has the appearance of quality thought and time behind it. If you have the skills, you can design something yourself. Or you can order something from a skilled artisan or seamstress. These types of gifts are most often customizable, although many are ready made! Many artists and seamstresses also offer personalization on their hand crafted items. If you choose an artisan with quality customer service, you may even receive valuable help in planning your gifts. If you choose to purchase gifts like those mentioned above, imagine the appreciation when your loved ones, family members, and friends receive gifts that were designed according to their interests, possibly personalized or valuable. They will know that you put quality thought behind each gift, communicating to them how much you value and appreciate each of them. With a little thought and planning, you can turn an "Oh, you shouldn't have" into a gasp of delight. |
