Tuesday 27 May 2008

Giving Gifts From The Heart

Gift giving is a custom that goes back for thousands of years. Remember the Three Wise Men and how they came bearing gifts? Presents symbolize welcome, joy, friendliness, caring and consideration. We all love getting gifts, but just think about how much you really love giving one. It's terrific to see the glow you can bring to a loved one's eyes and the spreading smile of enthusiasm.

Buying presents for others can be fun. It is a great way for us to bring our creativity to the surface. Inspiration can really help when choosing a gift for someone we love, but where do we begin? Here are some helpful hints for choosing fantastic presents for those you love.

Think about the lifestyle of the person receiving the gift. Does he or she have a busy way of life? If so, think about getting her something pragmatic, to help her with time management or scheduling. A planner would be ideal, and so would storage units, or even attractive luggage. Is your receiver excited about helping the environment? Think about giving him a gift that furthers this goal. Plant a tree in his name, or find a company with impeccable green credentials, and buy him some of their products. The easiest way to locate these companies is to search for them online. Some of them even send free samples, so you can try their product before buying it for your friend.

What is your gift receiver's personality? Aside from looking at their lifestyle, it is also a good idea to consider their personality. If they are the practical type, then give them gifts that they can easily use around the house or at the office. Are they sentimental? If so, give them something symbolic like a card or a photo book. If they are the humorous type, you may want to give them shirts with funny messages, or calendars with amusing photos and quotes.

What sort of hobbies and interests do they have? For example, if they are avid golf enthusiasts, you could purchase a golf related product. If they like movies and music, you could purchase them a copy of their favorite DVD or CD. All you need to do is find the time to do a little research to gain insight into their likes and dislikes. Simply done!

The amount of money you have to spend must be considered. While it is important to think about what the gift receiver will like, you don't have to go broke in the process. The good thing is that it is isn't necessary to buy expensive items to give someone a quality present. There are those who are capable of choosing gifts that look expensive but are really quite affordable. You just need to take the time to search for these types of bargains.

Giving someone you care about a personal gift is the going trend now. When thinking about personalizing a gift, you should consider all possibilities - from mugs containing a meaningful picture to engraving a special piece of jewelry. In addition to the personalized gift, you should consider adding a card to share your story behind the gift. This will show that you put a lot of effort and thought into choosing the present. For example, you could leave a note saying "Since chocolates are your favorite, I hope these will brighten your day today and always!"

Naturally, due to the hectic routines most of us follow nowadays, it is simpler just to pick up some kind of one-size-fits-all present with no actual thought given to the receiver. On the other hand, it's a life lesson for each of us to take the time and trouble to choose something specifically geared to the person who will be receiving it. Before long, you'll recognize that it makes you feel even better. And it's actually a kind of double pleasure, since it is experienced both by you and by the person you give the present to.

Want more gift ideas for family and friends? Visit Happy Gift Givers for articles and tips on gift giving. And for the holidays, check out Christmas Flurry to enjoy the gift giving and merrymaking of the season.

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