How to Pick Out a Birthday Present for Someone You Don't Know Much About

Picking out a birthday present for someone that you have not known for long can be a difficult task. Sure you could offer the person the universal gift of money but giving money as a birthday present to some people can come off as a bit tacky. Some people think that receiving money as a gift screams out loud that you don't know anything about the person. There is not much original thought in giving money as a gift. If you are caught in a situation where you have to purchase a birthday gift for someone that you do not know much about then you should take a look below to gain some ideas on how to find gifts for that person.

1. Find out what their likes and dislikes are while conversing with them. Conversation is a great way to find out about someone. When you hold a conversation with this person listen closely to try and determine what their likes and dislikes are. You can try starting conversations that will help you to gather some general information about the person. For instance you can say, "I listen to a lot of bands in the alternative genre of music what do you listen to?" Asking one simple question can lead you to find out much more about that person.

2. Examine the person's hangouts. You can gather a lot of information on what a person likes by learning about the places they frequent. For instance, a person that frequents Newbury Comics most likely has a quirky sense of humor with an appreciation for arts and entertainment. A person who hangs out at pubs most likely has a liking for beer, maybe a bit of gambling, pool and cigarettes or cigars. Once you know where the person hangs out all you have to do from there is brainstorm to find out what types of gifts you can purchase for their personality.

3. Observe the type of friends the person hangs out with. If the person does not go out much then you can take a look at the company he keeps and at what type of entertainment they indulge in. Maybe the person and his friends enjoy watching movies together or playing board games or maybe they are collectors of some sort. Once you have observed the person and his friends sit down and think of some gifts you can purchase for him.

4. Take a look at the person's room to get a feel of the things that they like. A person's room can tell a great deal about their likes and dislikes especially if they are young in age. Examine their CD collection and the posters on their walls. You can come up with some good ideas about what to purchase the person by looking at their room.

5. Observe the person's clothing and accessories. The person may be a bit materialistic. If the person tends to like clothing and accessories it can be easy for you to purchase a gift for them. Those who are materialistic will not mind talking about clothing and the latest fashion, so start a conversation about clothing to get some good ideas of what gift to purchase.

6. You can simply ask the person what they would like for their birthday. Some people are too timid to state what they want for their birthday and others are more vocal. It doesn't hurt to ask a person what he likes but it might be more fun to do a bit of investigation on your own to come up with the perfect gift.