Christmas is a time to say thank you and to show that you care for all of your friends and family by giving them gifts. It can be wonderfully rewarding to give a gift to someone and know that they will treasure and enjoy it, but picking the right gift can be tricky. Here are some gift ideas and tips for Christmas.
For a start, nothing says you care more for someone than to make something just for them. There are plenty of great gifts that can be made from home. Some gifts may be time consuming to create, so ensure you’ve left yourself plenty of time before Christmas to get them ready. Making chutney as a Christmas gift is a very popular choice, you can tailor the flavours and label to suit the individual recipients and chutneys are easy to post and will keep for quite a while.
If you are artistically gifted you might want to think about creating your own Christmas greeting cards. They can be as simple or as complicated as you like, but making them from recycled materials would obviously be very good for the environment. Other ideas include infusing your own spirits or knitting hats and scarves.
If you don’t have the time or enough skill to make your own gifts there are plenty of other ways to make sure your gifts have a personal touch. The key is to remember you are not buying gifts for yourself, so don’t just buy things you like - think about what they would like and if you're not sure, just ask their friends or family for ideas. There are no hard and fast rules, but as a general rule it’s not advisable to buy your wife or girlfriend things for the kitchen and likewise your husband or boyfriend car cleaning kits.
The best gifts are things the receiver wants, but may feel guilty about buying for themselves.
If you don’t want to make gifts and are struggling to think of a gift for someone there are some traditional Christmas gifts that will always be appreciated.
Toiletries always make good gifts, as they are things that are used all the time. However, good quality toiletries can be expensive so people often feel guilty buying them for themselves. Have a look around the bathroom next time you are at your friend’s house and see what toiletries they use - not including their mouth wash of course! Most big retailers will have experienced staff that could help you find the perfect fragrance or other gift for a loved one.
Although cash is often considered to be a poor gift, vouchers are not. Buying books for someone else, for example, can be hard even if you know they are a keen reader. Gift vouchers show that you are aware of their interest while allowing them to make the final decision.
There are plenty of gift ideas out there, so just get looking and you're bound to find something that suits.
Jesse Wallace writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
