How to Excel At the Art of Gifting?

The manner of giving is worth more than the gift. - Pierre Corneille

When abstract feelings take concrete shape they become a gift. The culture of gift giving is as old as human existence. Gifting is an artwork that helps express gratitude, appreciation and warm wishes to loved ones. Gifting makes a huge difference to the emotions and feelings conveyed through it. Being a part of every culture, gifting is always the major attraction of special occasions and festivals. From online to offline, there are a plethora of options to shop for gifts according to the budget and type of the occasion.

Why Gifting Is Important?

• It is an important part of human behaviour that helps strengthen relationships and deepen the bond.
• It is the most effective way to touch people's hearts and leave an everlasting impression.
• The recipient also gets psychological benefits from the gifts.
• Gifting is a great way of showing people how much they are loved and cared for.
• Apart from momentary happiness, gifts give everlasting memories to both the recipient and the giver, that stays with them forever.

Ways to Excel at the Art of Gifting

Understand the recipient:

The number one rule to master the art of gifting is to understand the taste and preferences of the recipient. For this, one needs to observe and pay close attention to what their friends and loved ones want, what are their interests and what gift would suit their personality. Do they need something convenient for daily use? Do they need something to decorate their home? Or do they need something trendy for themselves?

Consider the Occasion:

The type of occasion matters a lot while choosing the perfect gift. For a special occasion like a birthday, one needs a gift that delights the heart of the birthday person in a unique way. For a personal celebration like anniversary, the gift has to be something unique and thoughtful that gives the celebrating couple memories for a lifetime. Similarly, the gifts for traditional festivals shouldn't be expensive but they should be heart-warming while wishing good luck, happiness and prosperity for the recipient. Likewise, the gifts for job promotions, graduation day, housewarming party and newborn baby should be charming and exquisite which should extend the congratulatory messages in a delightful way.

Involvement of Creative Thinking:

Going to a gift shop or an online website and picking the gift is not enough to please the recipient. Proper planning is a must and should be put into action. So that they show the recipient that a lot of time, thinking, energy and creative juices were exhausted in choosing the perfect gift for them. One can take inspiration for gifts from almost anywhere. The gift doesn't always need to be lavish or expensive. Even an inexpensive gift with high emotional value can help leave an everlasting impression. It could be cookies baked at home, holiday tickets to an exotic location, discount coupons or online gift cards. In some cultures, cash is also considered a viable gift option on a special occasion like wedding that not only pleases the recipient but also helps ease their financial burden.

Attractive Gift Packaging:

The right presentation of gifts matters a lot. No one likes to receive a loosely packed gift. A useful gift in beautiful packaging always grabs the attention of the recipient. The hand-lettered gift wrapping and word search wrapping paper are great ideas to put a great finishing touch to the packaging.

Research about the Brand:

Brand name matters a lot while choosing the gift. A good brand name always lets the gift stand out from the crowd. It is important to run a thorough research on the brand name that one considers for buying the gift. It saves decision-making time and adds value to the gift. Whether buying gifts from a mall or ordering online, always opt for a reputed brand which would reflect your taste for the good things in life while also adding an element of trust about the quality.

How to deliver:

The way one plans to deliver a special gift makes a huge difference in gift giving. If the gift is bought from a store, then make sure it is well-packed so that it enhances the moment of surprise and delight for the recipient. If ordering online, the home delivery of gift should be a big reveal itself that shows the recipient that extra efforts were made to delight them with something unique and special.