Pexels From: Alexandra Maria
These days there’s more pressure than ever before to give the right gift as often their, or your, reaction ends up captured forever and then plastered over social media. We all have those people that it’s incredibly hard to shop for. Whether it’s your mother who claims she already has everything so you can just buy her a lovely box of chocolates but then seems disappointed or a great uncle who you only see at Christmas and who tends to witter on about his twitching, or birdwatching club and not much else. Of course, it’s worse when you’re shopping for a gift for your best friend because she believes you know her inside out, you shouldn’t be having any issues yet you still can’t think of a truly special something. Mind you, if you’ve been looking around the shops for hours and nothing’s jumped out at you by now then it’s probably best you call it a day.
I Spy
No, we’re not talking about playground games here although the same principle applies in that you need to think about what you see. If you know the person well, visit their house loads or spend hours with them, then you’ll have a good idea of their interests already. The next time you’re invited over for brunch don’t just ignore their stuff, really notice what’s hanging on their walls, the flowers on the kitchen table or the books on their shelves. Look at the jewelry they’re wearing, women’s style varies greatly so if you can, make an excuse to see their jewelry box or think about what they have on at that moment. Check out their handbags, shoes or scarves and if their purse has seen better days why not buy her a beautiful designer leather wallet?
Men are also particularly fond of high-quality belts, silk ties, elegant cufflinks and engraved shot glasses. You’d also be surprised by how many guys like to wear military style dog tags or chains, so if your older brother’s in the armed forces, then a thick twisted chain like the one’s here would be ideal. Don’t forget to go online to as social media’s a great way to check out someone’s likes, or dislikes without actually asking them. Wish lists are also a great place to start as well as Pinterest boards.
Pexels From: Unsplash
Hello Class
The wonderful thing is that those who have hobbies often share them with other people i.e. there are thousands of amateur gardeners out there which means there are also books, kits, ornaments, gadgets and even classes. For instance, if your cousin loves Asian food you could treat her to a dim sum making class. Does your aunt treasure her Royal Doulton dinner set perhaps she’d like to have a go at throwing, glazing and painting her own cups and plates? Check out your local community center for what’s on in the local area or go online to see if you can make a weekend of it. Foodies would love a tasting menu experience; the chance to dine at a Michelin-starred restaurant or the opportunity to eat in the dark.
Does your friend have a sweet tooth? Treat them to a pudding club weekend where they’ll stay in a themed room, eat a variety of delicious desserts and learn how to make a range of pudding club inspired chocolates. No matter what the recipient is into, they’ll be a class, lecture, session or retreat based around it. Don’t feel you need to go the educational route either as there’s nothing wrong with helping them discover something new. You could even reignite a childhood passion, so if your sister used to love riding why not treat her to a horseback riding weekend out in the country?
Pexels From: Unsplash
Supply And Demand
Let’s face it we all love shopping, and everyone has their own way of treating themselves be it with luxury candles, designer shoes, upscale wines and expensive perfumes. The chances are that if someone really loves something they’ll use a lot of it, so keep an eye on what they use the most or if they mention they’re running low on a particular item. The only rule of the ‘supply drop’ as it were is that the gift that you give them should be of superior quality than the products they would buy themselves. If your mother in law likes using Sanctuary bath salts, then an appropriate upgrade would be a Clarins skincare set. Likewise, if your dad adores cheese, then a posh cheese and cracker box along with handcrafted cheese board and knife makes for an ideal birthday present.
