This is a collaborative post.
When you’re the chief gift giver in your household, it’s hard to find the inspiration to always be original. When your partner asks you to pick up something for the boss, or your child needs a present for a classmate’s birthday, choosing the right thing can become a chore.
In this blog we take a look at why sometimes the oldies are the goodies. Why choosing something classic and reliable can be exactly the right present and why you should you always go with your gut instinct.
Jewellery
Quite simply when you’re given a piece of jewellery, you’re being given a gift by someone who has put time and effort into thinking about you. They’ve thought about your style and what you’re going to wear it with. It’s a personal gift and one that can thrill.
Depending on who you’re buying for will dictate how much you spend and what style you choose. For a colleague you know well but are not so close to, you might choose something timeless and unique like a silver bracelet or earrings. For a closer friend, a watch might tick all the right boxes.
Children too can find jewellery a great gift. Friendship bracelets, homemade or shop bought are unique presents.
Flowers
If there’s one thing guaranteed to brighten up a desk or coffee table, it’s a beautiful bunch of hand chosen flowers. Your friend or partner might not be someone who likes surprises but a knock at the door from your Fig & Bloom is a sure-fire way of putting a spring in anyone’s step.
Make sure to personalise them with a gift card of leave them anonymous for your recipient to guess who their admirer might be.
Clothes
A slightly more tricky one this and a gift that when it works, works wonderfully but if it fails, it fails completely. Buy clothes for your nearest and dearest, it’s an intimate gesture and tells the recipient that you know them well enough to know their size as well as their style.
For partners, it’s usually a safe bet. You see the types of clothes they wear every day and you can take a good guess at what they might choose themselves if they were out shopping with you. Always include the receipt and try not to be offended if they choose to return the item and swap it over for something else.
Gift Cards
Some people regard gift cards as a cop out from buying something more personal but they are far from that. Gift cards are the perfect way for someone to find an excuse to treat themselves. If you’re buying for a co-worker they’ll no doubt feel relieved that they haven’t landed something they really don’t like, but instead can use their Amazon or High Street voucher towards that expensive piece of technology or coat that they’ve been saving up for.
Books
A thoughtful gift that can be surprisingly versatile. While not everyone is into the romantic fiction genre, you’ll be able to surprise them with plenty of other titles. Choose a book that their favourite Netflix series was based on or something so similar that they’re bound to love it.
Your computer loving teen will love getting a manual on how to achieve gaming greatness with some insider tips and your horse mad younger child will spend hours pouring over an animal annual.
The parents of your children’s friends will also appreciate a book as a birthday present over and above the usual pile of plastic toys that get used for a week then cast aside.
For those friends with specific interests in politics or sports a well-timed, modern autobiography can be a riveting read.
Personalised
The final classic gift in this section is that of the personalised present. An engraved keyring, a hip flask for your football loving grandfather or a book that features your child as the star. All these ideas simply show that you’re a thoughtful gift giver who values that person and has thought of the perfect gift, while going the extra mile.
When you’re busy running every aspect of your life, finding the perfect gift can be a time consuming exercise. Stop thinking about perfect and instead think classic. Anything that shows you’ve put some thought and a little bit of time behind it will always be well received.
It’s time to put the thought back into gift giving without the panic and stress. Forget fads, go classic for gifts that make a difference.
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
