Image of wrapped presents from Pinterest
Imagine receiving a beautifully wrapped present from a close friend or a loved one. The gift giver prompts you to open it in front of him, and you oblige. As you peel back the wrapper, out falls a sweater emblazoned with a picture of you and the gift-giver from eons ago. The image was taken when both of you were going through the painfully embarrassing stage of puberty, with unfashionable clothes and braces. Cue the fake surprised expression and smile that says thank-you-but-why-though and the little awkward laugh to end this less-than perfect gift encounter.
We aren’t saying that sentimental gifts are a bad thing. They often have value in the memories that they bring about of yester-years and times past. But, sometimes, the best gifts can also be gifts that reflect the what the recipient embodies presently rather than who they used to be. Now, here are some lessons that the team has learned over the years of being both gift-givers and gift-receivers.
- 1. Get A Gift That Represents Who The Recipient Is
This shows that you know and understand the recipient well. Show your appreciation for the recipient through getting them a gift that embodies them. If your recipient is a thrill-seeker, get them tickets to an adrenaline pumping reverse bungee ride. If they love luxe experiences, get them a full-day treatment at a luxury spa. You won’t be receiving any awkward smiles and fake laughs with these thoughtful experiences.
- 2. Avoid The Re-gift
The worse crime anyone can make is to re-gift a gift. If you don’t like the gift, give it to a family member who could use it well, or donate it to charity.
Image of Monogram’s display set of teas
3. Try Giving A Personalised Or Bespoke Gift
In the era of individualism, more and more people are beginning to appreciate items that can be personalised, customised or custom-made for them. For those who prefer to gift a unique experience, you can purchase a personalised blend of teas from Monogram Tea. You choose a base tea – black, green or oolong and layer it with herbs to create a cup with beautiful clarity, flavour and depth. Each blend of tea is packaged in sleek matt grey boxes and will definitely surprise and delight your giftee.
4. Sometimes, An Impractical Gift Speaks More Than A Practical One
If your giftee is someone really special, and they love over-the-top gifts, you can splurge on a once-in-a-lifetime experience like a luxurious staycation at a 5 star hotel. Alternatively, not everything impractical has to be expensive. If your giftee’s wish was to experience snow, you can make a batch of fake snow , decorate a room with the snow and winter decorations, and viola! Surprise your giftee with their first snow experience.
To conclude, if you’ve ever had a bad gift experience, you are not alone. Many of us have gone through it too. But, receiving bad gifts doesn’t mean you have to give bad gifts in return. You can always get a gift that best represents the giftee, or is a personalised gift that truly shows them how much you appreciate them. Let’s end the cycle of bad gift-giving and start gifting great gifts.