How To Find The Perfect Gift

Finding the perfect gifts for people in your life can be tough, and I’m not going to pretend that it isn’t. There are going to be times when you’re not sure which direction to go in. There are going to be times when you make more than one purchase but you’re not sure either of them is right. And, there will be times when you drive yourself out of your mind thinking about what the perfect gift is, only to realize that you are massively overthinking it.

The art of gift giving is not supposed to give you a stroke or stress you out to the point that you can barely function. If this is happening, you need to take a step away for a while and come back to it with a clear head. These are some of the ways I figure out how to get gifts that are perfect for the people in my life.

Something They Won’t Buy For Themselves

The first thing I consider is to buy them something that they would not buy for themselves, but I know they would like or know they want. It might seem odd to buy them something they won’t get themselves, but there are always going to be things that someone will not purchase for themselves, either because they can’t justify the expense in their budget, or simply because they don’t want to. For example, maybe you were out with a friend and they pointed out something that they really liked, but they refused to buy it. That’s the kind of little bits of information that you want to tuck away for when their birthday or another gift giving occasion comes around.

Don’t get me wrong here, it doesn’t have to be something expensive. There are things that are on the cheaper side that people still won’t purchase for themselves, and these things make a good gift. I’d been needing a new nail kit for months, probably years, but wouldn’t buy another one. I got one as a gift and was overjoyed.

A Comfort Item

It’s a good idea to look into comfort items as well. Who doesn’t love a good comfort item? Whether that’s a new throw, some scented candles that you think they would like, or perhaps even a plushie. There are plenty of different comfort items out there, and it just depends on the person that you are purchasing for. For example, where one person would absolutely love a pair of fluffy socks to keep their toes nice and warm, someone else would prefer a pretty set of candles to create an ambiance in a room.

Something That Reminds You Of Them

If you have seen something that reminds you of the person you are purchasing for, then that’s probably a good gift to give as long as it’s something that you think they would like. Who doesn’t want something that makes someone they care about think about them? It’s always nice to hear ‘this made me think of you so I got it for you’, and you can’t convince me otherwise. There is no better feeling than hearing one of your loved ones say this and it’s for that reason that it makes such an amazing gift.

A Sentimental Gift

A sentimental gift is a good option too. Maybe you can find something that signifies your relationship, or something that you know would mean a great deal to them. If they have a family heirloom for example, perhaps you can get it engraved and add something to it if you know that this is something they would like. You have to try and casually slip this into conversation prior to the occasion though, as the last thing you would want to do is alter something that they didn’t want altered.

Something Related To Their Interests

If you know them well enough, getting them something that relates to one of their hobbies or interests is another good choice. For example, if your friend is super into wellness and fitness buying them something related to this, like a new workout set or water bottle, is a great place to start.

Before you make any purchases though, just make sure that they don’t have the thing that you are thinking of purchasing. Drop it into conversation somewhere, get one of your friends to drop it into conversation somewhere, or whatever else you want to do to figure out if they have what you’re thinking of. If they do, don’t be disheartened, it generally just means that you are on the right track because you’re thinking of things that they have already purchased for themselves. Take your time, look in different online stores, and generally do whatever you can to find something amazing. 

A Gift Card

For those people in your life who never know what they want, how are you supposed to know what to get them? Some people are understandably particular about the things they have. They need to be from certain brands, or they are minimalist so a gift needs to serve a specific purpose. If you have someone like this in your life the best gift you can give is a gift card to a place you know they like to shop. You don’t have to stress over what to get them that they will love, they can use the gift card to get whatever they want.

Ask Them What They Want

This option is the least sexy, but instead of stressing yourself out about what to get them you could just ask them what they want. They’ll probably throw out a few different things so they won’t know exactly what they’re going to be getting. But even if they did, at least they know it is something that they like and want because they asked for it. 

There is nothing wrong with asking someone what they want for their birthday or any other occasion. Getting that insight can make your life so much easier. Some people see this as cheating, but I don’t at all. You have enough to take care of without having the added stress of guessing what someone would want as a gift. Asking them what they want is making sure that you’re getting them something they will enjoy unwrapping, rather than worrying your gift will disappoint them.