How to Find The Perfect Gift This Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner and people are scrambling like bats in the middle of the night!

Many of us are still confused or unsure about what perfect gift to get that special someone, not to mention all the family members! Whenever we pick a gift, we want to have the gift that they will truly appreciate and remember you by – and not something that they will subtly regift to a friend or donate to a local charity shop.

What do they want, what do they need? Or what can you buy for them that will be truly accepted? You can spend hours at home or in shops pondering these questions.

What Do You Want The Present To Communicate?

Think of gifts as a form of communication. How? Whenever you give a gift to someone, think about what you are really trying to convey or what are you actually telling them.

You purchase, make or discover a gift that says something to the receiver, that person receives the gift and if they are observant, they will understand and appreciate your message. Yes, this is quite obvious, but with all the confusion and rush, you forget the message when choosing a gift.

 

You have to realise that gifts are a form of communication. Gift can communicate distance, some may convey intimacy, some may say you care for them or you love their creativity or it may say that they need to look after themselves. Some gifts are practical jokes and some may be downright insulting. Some appreciated gifts have been practically free and still are extremely valuable to the receiver.

If you’re able to have this mindset, you will be able to move towards getting and giving the perfect gift. The difference will be that you have arrived at a decision quickly and with more certainty that your gift will be the right one for that person.

The Scientific Method Of Choosing Gifts

In the United Kingdom, department store and retailer giant Debenhams consulted a professor of psychology, Karen Pine of the University of Hertfordshire to develop the perfect formula in buying gifts that appeared in an article in The Telegraph UK. The clever equation is presented as (Lx2)+O+E2 – PD+EM = PP where:

L = listening; where (Lx2) – is listening to the person we wish to buy the gift for. This means that you have to tune into the small hints that they consciously or subconsciously dropping about what they specifically like. You have to listen twice as hard to get some clues for your gift buying.

O = observation – is observing the person/persons you are buying for. By doing this, you will reveal what makes them happy. Try to observe what they browse online, watch them carefully when you’re shopping with them and try to notice what makes them excited. Another hint is how long they look at something. If they spend more time on an item or if they return frequently to that item, then the more they will like and appreciate your gift.

E = effort; where E2 – means you have to double the effort that goes into finding or creating the best and perfect Christmas gift. Doing this will surely enhance the value of the gift to the recipient. Putting the time and extra effort shows that you truly care and understand that person.

PD = personal desire – often, personal desire spoils the gift because as humans, there are times that we overestimate our understanding of other people. We sometimes think that if we love something, someone close to us will also feel the same way. It doesn’t work that way. Each person has their own likes and desires and we often allow our feelings of personal desire to get in the way of buying a gift for someone. The equation will not work if personal desires come first before anything else.

EM = empathy – this means that you’re able to pick up on another person’s emotions and tend to imagine what they are thinking or feeling. Any person that shows empathy may not have the most expensive gift, but will surely choose a gift that has special meaning for you and the recipient.

According to Professor Pine, most people tend to put more emphasis on the cost of the gift, but in most cases, the receivers place less importance on the cost but put more value on the effort and empathy from the gift giver.

PP = Perfect Present – if all the criteria are met, then you have reached your goal of buying and giving the perfect gift for your loved ones.

Remember that it’s always better to get someone something that they will truly appreciate and enjoy than to buy a filler gift just because you’re obliged to do so.

Happy holidays!