Are you looking for a gift for someone you love? Perhaps you need to buy a present for someone you haven’t known very long at all, such as a co-worker or your brother’s new girlfriend? No matter what applies, there is no denying that purchasing a gift can be challenging, and it only becomes more and more difficult with every year that passes by.
So, what should you do?
Do you go for the clichéd gift that shows a lack of effort? Do you try too hard and end up purchasing something the recipient doesn’t even like?
It’s hard work!
One thing you certainly want to make sure you do not do is commit one of the awkward gift-giving mistakes mentioned below…
Going for the easy / obvious option – There is only one place to begin, and this is with clichéd gifts. Choosing an obvious gift, for example, a box of chocolates or one of the generic gift sets that come on the market at Christmas, screams that you have made no effort. It tells the recipient that you have put absolutely no thought whatsoever into the gift you have purchased them, and this is unlikely to go down very well! Instead, you need to choose something that says you have put a lot of thought into the gift. You do not need to spend a lot of money. You simply need to show that you have chosen a gift specifically with the recipient in mind.
Not doing your homework - Is there anything worse than buying someone a gift only for it to break or fall apart a couple of days later? This could easily happen if you have not done sufficient research about the item in question. It is important to take the time to read reviews that have been left by other people. If you do enough homework online, you will be able to pick up on any warning flags so that you can avoid wasting your money on something that has a bad reputation.
Buying a complicated gift - What does this mean? Well, have you ever received a gift that seems impossible to put together? Or, something that requires lots of extra parts? The gift ends up becoming more of a hindrance than something to enjoy. Also, avoid going for something that is going to cost the recipient money. Some gifts cost the person in question cash because they require extra parts or they demand that the person signs up for a paid subscription. Even if you think the person would love the gift, you don’t know whether they can or want to spend any money on such a service, so you should not put them in a position whereby they feel they need to.
Purchasing something the person already has - This may sound like an obvious mistake to avoid, but you would be surprised by how many people end up buying others gifts that they already have. The best thing to do is speak to a loved one if you are unsure and they will be able to advise you as to whether the person in question already owns something similar or not.
Rushing a personalized gift - Personalized gifts have become very popular over the past few years, and it is not hard to see why. After all, they provide a loving a thoughtful touch to any present. Plus, they are not as expensive as they used to be. For example, if you are looking for a gift for your granddad, why not go for a custom made medallion? This is a touching, thoughtful and personal gift. However, a lot of people make the mistake of rushing such gifts. This can result in spelling mistakes or choosing a design that does not relate to the person you are purchasing for.
https://images.pexels.com/photos/1040823/pexels-photo-1040823.jpeg?auto=compre ss&cs=tinysrgb&h=350
Choosing something you love - This is a trap that a lot of people easily fall into. They end up buying something they love, rather than thinking about what the other person is going to like. Let’s say you are going to buy a top or a dress for one of your friends. Don’t think about the sort of thing you would wear. You need to think about what your friend likes to wear. If you are unsure, it is always better to resort to a voucher or something along these lines so that your friend can pick something themselves.
Purchasing a fake product - If you cannot afford to buy the real thing, scrap the idea you have in your mind and go for something else. While the person may be happy to wear fake Chanel or use a phone that mirrors an Apple iPhone, you should not assume that they have this approach to everything in their life. Plus, fake gifts can come across as cheap and tacky, even if they are not.
As you can see, there are a number of gift-giving mistakes that can be rather awkward, to say the least. While there is no denying that buying a gift can be a bit of a challenge, you do need to approach the whole process with care and caution. The last thing you want to do is spell something incorrectly on a personal gift or purchase something that you love rather than buying something the person is going to like. If you use the advice that has been provided above as a starting point, you cannot go too far wrong!
Feature image source
