The holidays are creeping up and before you know it the gift-giving season will have arrived. Some of you may be dreading this season because finding gifts is stressful and frustrating. Others may be like me who keep hoping that this is the year I will finally move to the North Pole and take over Santa’s workshop, eat lots of cookies, decorate a whole town, and give everyone in the whole world a gift they love that lights them up. Whether you’re a Grinch or an Elf, here are some tips to help guide you towards finding a gift that says all the right things and creates the happiness you want to give.

*Disclaimer: these tips are just guidelines to help you in picking out a gift. If you do not follow these tips it is in no way a reflection that you are a bad gift giver or your gift isn’t an amazing one. Please also note that you do not need to follow all the tips for one gift. They are just individual ideas.

1. Handmade.

A handmade gift is one of the most precious gifts you can give. Handmade is unique, one of kind, and turns any object into a special and heartfelt gift. A lot of people avoid making handmade gifts because they don’t think they are talented enough to make anything, but they are forgetting that gifts aren’t about how crafty you are. Gifts are about the thought, the effort, creating something with someone else in mind. The other person isn’t going to be overanalyzing your work to make sure it is perfect, they are just going to appreciate that you took the time to create something just for them. Even if you buy local instead of making something yourself, you are supporting local artists and still providing a gift that is personal and something you can’t find everywhere. If you can, choose handmade.

 2. Pay attention to details.

Nothing shows someone how much you care than by giving them something they said they wanted or loved months ago on a random day that they weren’t expecting you to remember all this time. Yes, this requires you to pay attention all year long, months in advance, but that is what makes this kind of gift an unforgettable one. Think about when Ross gave Rachel a brooch, pin, like the one her grandmother used to have in Friends. Her response, “I can’t believe he remembered” shows just how much paying attention to details can really mean to someone.

3. Consider their love language.

If you have never heard of the Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman I highly recommend you look it up. If you are not sure what their love language? Have them take the test here. Most people won’t expect you to consider their love language when giving a gift so being able to connect the dots as to why they are taking the test will be rare. Knowing their love language can help you find a gift that allows them to receive love in their own way. For gift ideas related to their love language, an upcoming post will be coming in the next few weeks so stay tuned.

4. Cheesy is not your enemy.

Don’t be afraid to go a little cheesy. Love can be a little cheesy, but it gives people all the giddy feelings. Cheesy leads to all the warm and fuzzy feelings. Finally, cheesy shows that you are not afraid to show someone how you feel and that you are not afraid to show everyone how much that person matters to you.

5. Create a tradition or heirloom.

A great gift is a gift that lasts forever, a gift that creates history. Creating a tradition with someone allows a bond for a lifetime. Something that is just between you two, something that only you two have together. Or a tradition that allows the whole family to become a part of, that can be passed down, is memorable and symbolic. An heirloom, quite similar, creates something that allows that person to be able to hand down to their family. A gift that starts a tradition or becomes an heirloom becomes more than just a gift; it becomes a memory, a part of a person.

6. The gift box.

The gift box is a favorite of many. It is simple, fun, and very versatile. The gift box is simply a box filled with their favorite things. You can use a theme or keep it completely random. However you use it, everyone is always happy to receive a box of goodies of things they love. Become an expert at the gift box and you can turn a box of favorites into a gift that allows them to see just how well you know them and remember all the things that make them happy.

7. Keep in mind their interests, not yours.

One of the biggest gift-giving mistakes is giving a gift of something you enjoy in hopes they will either like it too or love it because they know how much you do. Take Gilmore Girls for example, when Rory buys a book for her boyfriend Dean and her best friend, Lane, says, “A book sends the wrong message, you have to look at what the gift says to the other person not to you” explaining that what Rory thinks the book means to Dean isn’t what Dean will actually think the book means. Sounds confusing? Sometimes you buy a gift with a purpose, it means something to you, however, the person you bought the gift for may not see the gift with the same meaning you do. Just because you love books or a mixed tape doesn’t mean you should buy a book or a mixed tape for everyone else. The gift is supposed to make the other person happy, know what interests them and pick a gift that will mean a lot to THEM. It’s normal to want to get others into things you like, however, a well thought out gift is about making the other person feel loved not like they need to be into everything you are.

8. Provide support.

A genuinely kind gift has meaning, a purpose, and a message. An amazing message to send to another is one that shows your support in their endeavors, their dreams, and their passions. Support their latest hobby or their newest career path. Any gift that shows how much you support their decisions towards finding happiness will mean the world to them.

9. Take some of the burdens.

Along with support, a great gift to give is one that provides something that can help ease their struggles, bring hope, and remind them to stay positive. Whether it is a gift that helps take some of the load off their daily tasks or financial burdens to helping them spiritually and comforting them. Any gift that can provide relief and show that you are there to help and be there for them will be more than just a physical object.

10. Give the unexpected.

The best gifts are the ones you don’t see coming. Many people provide lists of all the things they want and when you don’t know what to get someone it is easy to just stick to the safe zone, their list. However, what is the fun in that? They know exactly what they will be getting, no surprise, and no deeper meaning messages. A list allows you to get something you know they want, so sure get something on their list, but also get something that is NOT on their list. Surprise them. Those gifts that you never expected, that completely catch you off guard are the ones that can truly blow you away.

11. Splurge.

Choose a gift you know they would like but can’t buy for themselves rather than giving something they need. A gift of a need is helpful, but these types of things should be provided any day of the year, just out of the kindness of your heart. A real gift is something special that they don’t get to treat themselves with every day. Make them feel like they deserve to have wonderful things, they deserve to have a treat to themselves. So splurge on them, make them feel that they deserve the world.

12. Make it personal.

A simple way to really take a gift to the next level is to get it personalized. Whether the gift is something you made or any item that is a part of your gift, go and get it personalized with their name, family name, or a special quote or date. Personalization can turn ordinary objects into a gift that is meant just for them. It can transform gifts into heirlooms, a one of a kind gift, or show just how much a memory means to you both. Personalization takes gifts to another level and I highly recommend, if you can, to add this simple touch to your gifts.

13. Ignore the budget.

One of the biggest obstacles people face when finding a gift is money, a budget. People constantly say they don’t feel they can provide the best gift possible because they don’t have the money for it. They just don’t have that kind of money to spend on things. However, going out of your way and going out of your budget to find the perfect gift for someone says a lot more than you think. No, it does not mean you have to buy expensive gifts because people only like expensive high priced things. What it does show is that even though you don’t have a lot of time and money you still went out of your way to make an amazing gift to show another person how much they matter. If the other person knows you well enough they will know that you don’t have a lot of money or time to spend so when they see just how much you ignored a burden on you to make them feel special they will appreciate you and your gift even more. Going out of your way to get the right gift no matter the cost or time it took will show through in your gift and the person receiving your gift will see the effort you put into it. Giving is a reward within itself and putting money into a gift will far outweigh the feeling of keeping the money for yourself.

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We hope that you found these tips helpful and they help you towards finding the perfect gift that creates happiness and joy in those around you.

For gift ideas stay tuned to the blog for an upcoming post.

W’d love to hear from you, what tips do you stick to when finding the perfect gift?

Comment down below and share what are your favorite gift ideas?

**For more tips on giving the perfect gift you can read our post, 7 Handmade Gift Ideas and  10 Gift Ideas for Giving the Perfect Gift This Holiday Season.