Giving Great Gifts - Holiday Tips

Finding the right gift for someone special can be quite tricky. It can be difficult to pick colors, sizes, flavors, styles, and more for someone else. Even the most appropriate-seeming items may not produce the response you anticipate.

What's a holiday shopper to do?

Go with gift cards!

Certainly, the simplest option is to purchase a gift card at a full-service store. Once considered somewhat impersonal, gift cards have become the most popular gift of all.

General department stores are usually a safe bet. Nearly anyone can find something appealing in a shop with a huge variety of inventory. In fact, most major retailers honor their own gift cards online as well.

If you are a close friend or family member, then you may even know that your gift recipient has a favorite store, boutique, salon, or restaurant. In such a case, a gift card may be just the ticket!

Did you know that many big-box chain stores offer a variety of retailers' gift cards? How convenient is that?

Shop till you drop!

However, if you love to shop, you may simply enjoy the purpose of picking out a special item, so you can present a lovely wrapped package to a loved one. Never fear! Even if you miss the mark, gift returns are much easier than they used to be, as long as you have a receipt.

Follow these purchasing pointers:

Ask the cashier or salesperson for a gift receipt. Increasingly, stores offer these special duplicate register tapes. Gift receipts encode the sales price, so recipients will not see what you paid for their gifts, unless they choose to return them.

Keep your own receipt for your records, rebate filing, or backup.

Wrap items well.

Snip prices off all tags, but try to leave tags attached.

Tape the gift receipt inside the front cover of the gift box, or attach it to the gift in a subtle, but visible, spot.

If the gift is not suitable for any reason, the recipient will be free to return it with the gift receipt and price tags attached, according to the store policies. Retailers may offer a full refund or merchandise credit.

If gift receipts are not available, then the gift recipient will require your copy of the receipt, if he or she is to receive credit for the full purchase price of the item.

Without a receipt, most stores will only offer the lowest recent price of the item. If it has been made available at a reduced price within the past month or two, then the recipient is likely to receive less return credit for it.

Be sure to pack all fragile items with plenty of tissue, styrofoam pellets or other protection.

Be a gracious giver.

Try not to be hurt or offended, if your gift does not elicit the response you desire. After all, your earnest affection and generous spirit are what really counts!