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Tips for giving a “memorable" gift
Let’s face it, except for the million dollars that your rich uncle gave you, most of the gifts you get are not all that memorable. The reason for this is that there usually is not a lot of thought given to the actual gift giving process.
What makes a gift giver truly "memorable"? Usually it is because someone has given something thoughtful and unique, indicating that they spent time thinking about you and what you would like, or it is because they found something totally awful which means they may or may not have put a lot of thought into it. Most gift givers don’t fall into either category – they are usually not memorable at all!
If you are the type of person that gives gifts just to mark them off your list, then you will not be interested in this article (we have other articles for you coming soon). If, on the other hand, you want to be remembered for your thoughtfulness some of the following tips and ideas may interest you. Consider:
- The event for which you are buying. Examples of choices:
Christmas
Birthday
Anniversary
Easter
Wedding
Wedding Shower
Baby Shower
Friendship
Engagement
Other
Why is this important? In order to get a truly memorable gift, you will want the recipient to associate the occasion with the item received. For example – On Christmas, a personalized Christmas Ornament will probably become a fixture on their Christmas tree every year, whereas a box of candy will be eaten and forgotten after the stomachache subsides. The same holds true for any other occasion – give something that ensures that the recipient will associate you and the event all in one memory. No wasted motion. Of course if you are a prankster, the memory may not be positive.
- The age and sex of the recipient.
This is pretty obvious, but sometimes overlooked. Make sure that what you give does not predate or mis-gender the person. A charm bracelet is surely a memorable gift, but most guys don’t usually wear them. Babies don’t have much of a near term memory, but an appropriate keepsake can be a long treasured item. Older persons typically don’t want to be reminded that they are moving on in years.
- The attitude of the person.
Perfectionist – Likes everything in its place and a place for everything.
Helpful – Feels fulfilled when helping others.
Success Oriented – Focuses on getting ahead.
Thinker – Always tries to find out everything about everything.
Skeptical – Needs to have proof.
Enthusiastic – Looks at the world in a positive manner.
Leader – Always likes to be in charge.
Peacemaker – Makes sure that there are no confrontational situations.
Knowing the general inclination of the recipient will enable you to eliminate gifts that will likely not be suitable to the person. For example: It’s unlikely that you would want to give a skeptic a personalized horoscope for their birthday, whereas it may be appropriate for a thinker or someone who is success oriented (any little edge!). Whereas, an initialed briefcase will work for all types if they can use it in their profession.
- Relationship of the recipient to you.
Very important in that you don’t want to get too personal with someone you don’t know that well, on the other hand, you would want to express special affection to those that you do have a relationship with. I made the mistake of giving ankle weights for a girlfriend for Christmas one year, didn’t have the chance to make the same mistake twice. On the other hand, a heart locket with your picture in it to a co-worker can lead to some misunderstandings, especially if she’s married.
- How much you intend to spend.
If you can’t afford it, you don’t want to go in debt unnecessarily or the gift will be more of a memorable event to you than the recipient. On the other hand, something cheap or cheesy will usually make it to the bottom of a drawer or a wastebasket.
- How much time you have to prepare.
Remember the less time you have to prepare the less thought you will put into the gift and the less memorable it will be. If you need a reminder, you can use our reminder service here.
Checklist –
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What’s the Event |
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Age & Sex |
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Recipients Attitude |
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Relationship |
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How much can you spend |
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When is the occasion |
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Using this little checklist will help you get a gift that will not only be appreciated, but will help you be remembered.
For gift ideas you can use to test your findings join us at Gifts Online for Less |
