The Art of Giving Gifts: 8 Tips on Finding the Perfect Gift for Anyone

Have you ever paused to think why we give gifts? Exchanging presents is so intricately linked to most cultures and we know that certain events, festivals and occasions warrant us to mark them with presents, and we all look forward to receiving them. But what does it mean?

Interestingly, studies have also been conducted to understand this concept, and it was found that exchanging gifts is a very important part of how humans interact with each other; it is used as a means to strengthen bonds and giving gifts can psychologically benefit the giver more than the receiver. The concept is far more complex and wider in scope than we could have imagined so, for now, let's focus on what it means to us in a very basic way.

Gifts are given as a way to mark certain days and events are more important and special than all the others, show our affection and appreciation for people in our lives, reach out and connect to those who are dear to us, and often, as research shows, to feel good and share that happiness with others.

The first and foremost question, this will help you decide what to buy or make. What are the dynamics of the relationship you share with this person? The people in our lives broadly fall into the following categories: family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues and relatives. Within these you need to determine how close you are with the person and what kind of gifts are suitable . For instance, the kind of presents you give to your sister will be very different from what you give your friend or colleague of the same age. Taking a moment to clearly define your equation with the person the gift is intended for can help clarify your decision making.

Birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, births and festivals are when most gifts are normally exchanged but there are so many other events which warrant a congratulatory or thank you gift. But apart from these obvious reasons you must consider your own personal reasons as well. Each celebration has a different mood but what kind of message does your gift carry? This may seem like over complicating the entire gift giving exercise but it really does matter, specially when the person you are giving a present to is an important person in your life.

You may want to give a friend a gift just because, even if its not his birthday and there isn't any other reason. But is that really true. Some sort of emotional connection is prompting this decision. You may want to thank him for being a good friend or helping you out in a time of need, an occurrence may have made you realise how much you value his friendship, or he may be low and in need of a pick me up.

There really are a million reasons for giving gifts, and once you identify those reasons, buying gifts becomes a whole lot simpler.

What it really comes down to is the amount of money you can spend. It is a rare group of people who are not in the slightest affected by unplanned expenses so making some sort of gift budget is a prudent move. If gift giving is important to you then you realise you won't be satisfied giving half hearted gifts or skipping them entirely.

There are only so many people you will give presents to and the days for which these will be given is also quite clear. Just like you would plan for any other major expenses, take some time out to organise your funds. It will help you understand how much you can spend.

Giving gifts is a pleasurable experience not just for the person getting it but also the giver, and in the moment of looking for nice things for people close to us it is so easy to be overcome with a benevolence and wind up splurging on things we really cannot afford. So plan your spending and don't forget to keep a reserve for unexpected gifts.

There are several options for last minute gifts and on many occasions it is quite acceptable too but for the people you really love and those who are closest to you deserve better than a haphazard present. Don't you agree? Besides, there are loads of benefits in thinking ahead. For one, you can scout for and score great deals, items that may have been beyond your budget may suddenly go on sale.

But mostly, planning ahead means you have enough time to look for the perfect gift, get something made if you do not find what you are looking for, or make it yourself. There are some fantastic gift choices online since you are not limited to your neighbourhood mall but can order things from any part of the world; there is whole new world of customised presents out there. The only hitch here is the delivery period. Even when ordering locally, there may be unexpected hitches along the way that event upset your express delivery plans.

Gifts are often a part of a bigger celebration and after having gone through the trouble of finding the perfect gift, you don't want to face the disappointment of giving a belated present. So save yourself and your loved one that experience and get moving.

Often there are times when you are not well acquainted with the person you are giving a gift to and don't know enough about them to give them a personalised present. For instance you may be invited to a child's birthday party by the parents and though you may have briefly met her on a few social occasions, you know nothing about what she likes or is interested in. Keep the age as a reference point and buy things most commonly used by people of that age.

Keeping the age as a guideline will also prove useful when shopping for people you do know. Gifts related to clothing, accessories like watches and bags, jewellery, even books and personal items must be tailored to the person's age. Take watches for example, the style you choose for a young boy will be different from that given to a college student, a young working man and an older mature man. One size, or in this case, one design does not fit all. Each age group has vastly different sensibilities and you must be aware of these when buying gifts.

The value of handmade gifts is often overlooked in the face of the glitz and glamour of exciting store bought presents, cool gadgets, pretty clothes and boxes of chocolates. But there are so many reasons why you should think about making at least some of the gifts you will give.

Homemade gifts are unique because no one else will have the same thing, they can be personalised completely for the receiver which is very different from getting someone's name printed on a mug. When made with care and attention they can actually be better than similar items bought from a store because you can control the quality of the materials you are using. And since you decide what goes in, you can also budget and save money.

Most importantly, nothing replaces the effort put into creating something for a loved one by hand. It is such an intimate and loving gesture and the receiver feels extra special because of this. Do take note though that gifts made by hand must be well made; take on only what you can handle and execute well. Giving homemade gifts is not an excuse for giving sloppy presents to people.