Anatomy of a Great Gift

I bought a birthday gift for a dear friend this week and it got me thinking about what makes a good gift versus a not-so-good gift…(because we all know we’ve gotten our fair share of both). Here are some gift giving tips I like to keep in mind when shopping for the special people in my life:

Multiple gifts make a major impression. I like to give a couple of little things versus one big one, because everyone likes to open a few little surprises at once. It doesn’t have to break your budget; you can couple one more expensive item with some smaller token ones, but in my opinion, this is one scenario where quantity can go a long way…

Share your favorite things. A few years ago in an office holiday gift exchange one of my co-workers gave me a few of her favorite things – and I loved it! She wanted to share some of the things she loves the most and the concept was so sweet and heartfelt, I remember it years later. I love to gift my friends my favorite lip balm or a favorite book or the perfect tee that I can’t get enough of. And I always mention it’s a favorite in the card.

Give a gift card…but don’t stop the giving there. At this age, it’s tough to find the perfect everything for even your closest friend or family member so I always like to include one gift card among the other small gifts so they have some autonomy to go and treat themselves with their personal wish list in mind. But I never give a gift card solo…it feels too impersonal to me unless it’s paired with something else. A nail salon card with your favorite three polishes, a restaurant gift card with a bottle of your favorite wine, a retail gift card with your favorite accessory from the brand…etc.

Scout their social media. Check out your recipient’s Instagram and Pinterest for their favorite must-haves of the moment. My Pinterest wish list board is alive and kicking all year-round (mainly for my own amusement though those of you shopping for my upcoming birthday are welcome to reference it, too…;)) and it’s an easy place to find the things I am coveting most…sometimes with a direct link to purchase.

Don’t mind the presentation, mind the message. This is my personal rule because I am the worst gift-wrapper in the world (I actually paid a friend in wine a few years ago to do my holiday wrapping for me), but I feel like the true sentiment comes in your personal feelings and not just in the pretty presentation. I always include a proper card (not just a gift tag), no matter the occasion, and take the time to write a heartfelt message that shows how much I care about that person and their special day. Maybe it’s the writer in me, but it always beats a fancy wrapping job in my book… 😉