Some of us love buying gifts, and usually, you can spot these individuals by their intricate wrapping skills, unique cards, and a perfect gift that you would never expect yet absolutely love. Just as you can immediately identify these people, you can also always tell those of us who despise giving gifts, usually by the excuse for why the gifts didn’t arrive on time or the Christmas-themed wrapping paper that’s used for your 30th birthday gift.
There’s no right or wrong way to feel about gift-giving. After all, it’s not simply about whether you enjoy it or not – factors such as your financial situation, available time and personal circumstances can all play a part. But even for someone who loathes giving gifts, it’s fairly simple if you’re buying for someone you’re close to or know well.
The problem comes with buying gifts for someone like a work colleague or an acquaintance that you see less often. Of course, despite spending less time with them, you want to buy them something they’ll use, and something they’ll appreciate. But equally, how much money should you be spending on someone you wouldn’t say you’re close with? In this article, we will discuss how to choose a gift for someone you don’t know well.
Read: The Perfect Gifts To Get Your Fashion-Obsessed Friend
Speak To Someone Close to Them
If you’re looking for a gift that’s guaranteed to be loved, the best method to find out what they’re interested in is to ask someone they’re close to – like a family member or close friend. It’s a good idea to set yourself a budget in your head, and approach the individual in their inner circle with this cost in the back of your mind.
You could even prompt them to suggest items within a specific category, like self-care, fashion or homewear. This way, they will find it easier to make a suggestion, and you will have an answer much quicker. Similarly, if you’re speaking with their partner, you could suggest a gift for both of them, as gifts for couples always go down a treat.
Speaking to a friend or relative of someone you’re buying for is a great idea because in many instances, they might suggest buying the item themselves, particularly if they have something specific in mind that’s difficult to find. They can purchase the gift, making sure it’s the exact match, and you can cover the cost.
Purchase A Voucher or Gift Card
Another practical gift idea for someone that you don’t know much about is a voucher or gift card. There’s a huge variety of different cards to choose from, across hundreds of retail stores as well as entertainment and hospitality options too.
You could choose something broad, like a voucher for several restaurants and food chains in the hope that there’s at least one they’ll like. Or you could choose an experience gift card for a luxury activity like a spa break or wine tasting experience. Even if the activity wouldn’t be their first choice if they had to pick, because it’s something that’s unique and that they don’t get to do very often, they will appreciate the generosity and look forward to the experience.
Vouchers and gift cards are perfect for people you’re not familiar with because you can control how much money you’d like to spend. Most gift vouchers can be purchased from as little as £10, and have spending limits of anywhere between £500 and £1000. You can also choose to purchase a physical gift card or an e-voucher that can be shared with the recipient through email or text message. Gift card options start from as simple as cinema tickets and range to holiday packages or weekend experiences.
Stick To All-Time Favourites
Even if you’re not particularly close to someone you’re buying a gift for, you can still buy them something that’s thoughtful and that they will appreciate. Most retail stores today advertise their best-selling items or most-loved products both in-store and online. These items are the most-purchased for a reason, and make great gifts because you can choose from clothing items and fashion accessories to fragrances and personal care products.
With such a variety of items to choose from, you can tailor the budget you’re willing to spend to whoever you’re buying for. If you’re choosing a gift for a work colleague, for example, you might choose to buy a bottle of a popular wine. Even if it’s not their favourite pick, they may be interested in trying something new, especially if it’s highly regarded and the most popular pick from the shelves.
Similarly, if you’re buying for a distant family member, you may decide to choose Sephora’s best-selling makeup sets featuring viral makeup like the REFY depuffing face primer, which they might even recognise from seeing videos and reviews online. There are certainly some gifts that you can’t go wrong with, and these include hamper boxes, luxury chocolate and premium wines, which are always thoroughly enjoyed and repurchased time after time.
