The Do’s & Don’ts of Giving the Perfect Gift
Between birthdays, holidays, milestones, appreciation days, and other special occasions that happen every year, it often feels like there’s always another gift to be bought. Sometimes, you’ll stumble onto the perfect present by mere fate. Most of the time though, it’s a painstaking process of rushing from store to store and scrolling through endless pages of products, just hoping you spot something your recipient will still love and/or use in 5 years.
If this sounds like you ahead of every major holiday or event, we have some good news—it doesn’t have to be this way! There are some helpful rules of thumb you can follow to help you find the right gift for any person to commemorate any occasion. Let’s take a look at these do’s and don’ts of gift buying!
DO: Start shopping early.
Every now and then, the perfect gift will fall right into your lap. But in most cases, you’ll need to spend a good chunk of time searching for something they’ll love. That’s why giving yourself enough time to find the right thing is the first lesson of gift giving 101. If you leave your shopping until the last minute, you’re more likely to settle on something subpar out of fear of coming up empty-handed.
Allow yourself at least 3-4 weeks to brainstorm and narrow down the best gift. Especially if you’re looking at small businesses, independent sellers, and customized items, which may take longer to make and ship, time is of the essence.
DON’T: Spend too much…or too little.
Expensive, extravagant gifts often end up collecting dust when they can’t be used. You might think that fancy $1000 diamond bracelet will be a hit for your mom’s birthday, but how many occasions will she really have to wear something like that? She might even be too afraid to damage such an expensive item to wear it at all! A gift doesn’t have to have a crazy high price tag to be meaningful and appreciated.
At the same time, you don’t want to buy something cheap and seem like you put no effort into your gift at all. If you happen to come across a gift you know they’ll love or use and get a good deal, that’s great! But don’t compromise on quality just to save a few bucks.
DO: Make a list of their interests and hobbies.
A surefire way to make sure you get someone a gift they like and use is to choose something based on what you already know they like and use! Start by writing out a list of their favorite movies, music, TV shows, books, activities, etc. Then, brainstorm a few possible gifts for each category.
Does your brother collect Star Wars figurines? Look for one he doesn’t have that you can add to his collection! Is your boss always trying out new coffee flavors in the machine at work? Pick a few fun flavors to put in a gift basket! A gift that shows that you know them well or pay attention is the most meaningful kind you can give.
DON’T: Make it about you.
Going into your gift search blind or without focus will have you coming out of it with the perfect gift for YOU, not them. Keep your focus on what your recipient likes, might need, and keep their personality in mind as you shop.
Be open to searching for gifts that you yourself wouldn’t like or buy, but that you know they have an interest in. For example, maybe you think Game of Thrones is overrated (or just hated that last season), but your best friend has binge-watched the series and perfected their Arya Stark cosplay. In that case, don’t be afraid to dive deep into the trenches of Game of Thrones memorabilia to find them something special—even if it makes no sense to you.
If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for unique, quirky, and collectible gifts to give your loved ones, look no further than Otto’s Granary! We have fun and useful gift options for every obsession, niche, and special interest you could think of.
Order the perfect gifts for everyone on your list online today!
