How To Give The Best Gifts

Picking out the perfect present for a loved one should be a fun and rewarding experience. You get to do a little shopping, purchase something you wouldn’t necessarily buy for yourself, and you get the joy of watching their face as they unwrap the gift lovingly hand selected just for them.

However, reward only comes after hard work. Gift giving isn’t always straightforward. It can sometimes be a tough challenge to find that special something that you know will make their eyes light up. That’s where this guide comes in.

5 Steps to Becoming a Better Gift Giver

If you’re struggling endlessly with what to buy for your loved ones, here are some tips on how to become the best gift giver in your family and friendship group.

1.      Pay Attention to Your Loved Ones

Being a top-tier gift giver is all about attention to detail, and central to that is really paying attention to your loved ones, including:

What they like

Whether your mom loves ornaments or your cousin loves accessorizing with stunning handmade jewelry, paying attention to the kind of thing they like to wear or have around the house is vitally important when it comes to choosing the perfect gift.

Things they do in their spare time

Does your sister love a certain boyband? Is your dad an avid gardener in his spare time? Does your best friend love to cook elaborate meals? It may seem obvious but paying attention to your loved ones hobbies and what they love most will get you well on your way to finding the perfect gift.

What they buy for themselves

Another great tip is to think about what your friends and family buy for themselves when you’re out and about shopping together. From this, you can get a clearer idea of the kinds of things you can gift to them in terms of fashion and homeware styles or favorite colors.

The things they need

Try to identify a gap in someone’s life that can easily be filled by a thoughtful gift – has someone recently graduated and needs a frame for diploma? Perhaps a photo album to put all of their holiday snaps in? It’s great to get a present you want, but it’s even better to receive something you really need.

2.      Do Some Detective Work

It’s more than likely that you have that one friend or relative who always says “Oh, I don’t want anything this year – don’t worry about it!” when you ask what they’d like for their birthday or special occasion. No matter how hard you try, they won’t budge and tell you what they’d really like (because, of course, there’s always something they secretly want!).

If you’ve found yourself coming up against this wall, consider turning to your inner sleuth to find that perfect gift. We’re very lucky in that we have a new tool at our disposal: social media. So, as well as asking around other friends and family, make sure you browse their social media profiles – you might find some important clues as to what they’d really like hidden in there!

3.      Keep a List

We’ve all been there: you’re out shopping with a friend or family member and they see something they love. You think “I’ll come back and get that for their birthday” – and then their birthday rolls around and you know there’s something you were planning to gift them, you just can’t remember what.

Keeping track of everyone’s likes and dislikes can be challenging, so sometimes it’s a good idea to keep a physical record. Simply jot down any ideas you have over the weeks and months in a private journal – just make sure your loved ones don’t get their hands on it!

4.      Make It Personal

There’s something extra-special about a personalized gift. Whether it’s a mug with their photo on it, or a ring made from a recycled dictionary [insert link].

There are so many benefits of buying and giving a personalized gift [insert link to Reasons to Choose Personalized gifts]. They’re unique, fun, memorable, and most of all thoughtful. Not only is it a gift that no-one else will give, it also means that every time they look at or use the gift they will be reminded of the thoughtful, caring person who gave it to them.

5.      Buy Handmade Gifts

Don’t get us wrong, mass-produced is great. There are so many beautiful gifts out there. But when it comes to giving a gift that really comes from the heart and expresses how much you care for someone, you can’t beat something that’s been handmade.

Buying something that you know has been lovingly handcrafted makes a gift even more beautiful, thoughtful, and special. Not only will it be a unique gift that no-one else has, it will also come with the unique story and character that only a handmade item can bring.

At Junkohol, we believe that handmade gifts are the perfect pick when you want to make a truly special purchase for a loved one. Our bags and coin purses are made from recycled newspapers and magazines, and our super-cute jewelry is made from upcycled dictionaries [insert product links].

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6.      Make The Unwrapping An Event

A big part of giving a great gift is in the presentation. There are a million different ways you can make even the most modest present look like a million dollars with a little extra time and effort. Wrap the gift in shimmering paper, put a shiny bow on top, slip it into a gorgeous bag for them to dive into – really go that extra mile to make it special to unwrap.

And before you start to feel overwhelmed – it’s okay if you’re not the world’s best at gift wrapping right now, the internet is full of tutorials to help you learn. We guarantee you, the extra work will be worth it to see the look of happiness on your loved ones face!