How to Give a Great Gift

For many years at Christmas our families drew names instead of buying each person a gift. This meant only panicking over one present instead of ten because some people are just hard to buy for. Since we don't live close to some family members it's hard to know what would make a good gift. We may be uncertain of their current interests, how their house is decorated, or what they already own. There are certain family members that I loved when they got my name because they gave excellent gifts. How did they know what would make a great gift? After some examination, here are my suggestions for buying a great gift for someone.

Ask what they want - the most straight-forward and sure fire way to make sure your gift is what they want. Some people may not like this approach because it does take away some of the mystery out of the wrapped present. You have to ask yourself which is more important your happiness or theirs? While it may be fun to give something they are not expecting, there is always the possibility they won't like it and never use it compared to if you give what they really want, which they will definitely love it.

Pay Attention - Although these people may be folks you dearly love, you may not know that much about their daily life. If you listen closely to conversations you can pick up a bunch of ideas. Most people like to talk about themselves, some more than others. I won't name names here, but you have probably already started a mental list. In conversations you can pick up hints about what would be good gifts. If Aunt Jane talks about her prize winning tulips, then it's obvious she loves gardening, or if Uncle Bob talks about how his favorite football team is doing this year then a football-centered gift would be nice.

Watch what they give as gifts - So now that you've picked up on the verbal clues look for the nonverbal. Gifts people give can offer some insight into what might be a good gift for them. I have a friend who loves to give house decor items. We normally buy gifts that are something we would enjoy not unless it is something they have specifically asked for.

Appearance - One look at my brother on any given weekend and it's easy to see he is an outdoors man. The camouflage is a dead giveaway to this fact. Some interests may not be so easily spotted by dress, but how we dress can say a lot about how we live. Some family members live in their jogging pants and are always thrilled with a new pair. Friends who wear interesting t-shirts always like to add to their collection. One piece of wisdom though; don't buy someone an article of clothing if you've never seen them wear anything similar. I wouldn't buy my brother a tie because I've never seen him wear one.

So don't fret over what to buy your loved ones. Be observant, and a great gift will come to mind.