Gift-Giving Tips for a Gracious Holiday Season

As the old saying goes, when it comes to gifts, it’s the thought that counts. While that is true, receiving a well-chosen gift, selected especially for you, makes the gesture more meaningful. It’s a way to let friends and family know you are thinking of them during the holiday season. As we head into the most wonderful time of the year, keep these gift-giving tips in mind to help you choose the perfect present for everyone on your list.

Gift-Giving Tips

Be Observant

Being mindful is the most critical step in gift-giving etiquette. Look for clues for their particular preferences. For example, if they love cooking, traveling, gardening or reading, choose gifts that relate to those passions. Tune into inspiration year-round and record ideas on your phone in your favorite notes app.

Align With Their Lifestyle

Consider your recipient’s interests and how they live. For example, somebody who now works from home may not need a new tie but would appreciate comfy slippers or stylish desk accessories. A person who lives in a small apartment with limited storage space may not have room for the latest kitchen appliance. Similarly, skip the gourmet candy or bottle of booze for someone trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Identify Their Needs

When you spend time with friends and family, see if you can detect anything they are missing or could use to make their lives easier. For example, if you know they are planning a trip abroad, a guidebook to their destination would be helpful. If you’re over for dinner and notice that they could use a new set of cutting boards or kitchen knives, make a mental note.

Avoid Unintended Messages

Some gifts feel more like a not-so-subtle hint. That digital scale or the foot exfoliating device may be sent with love but could transmit another message entirely. Along those lines, workout clothes may be the wrong choice for your exercise-averse friend, despite your best intentions.

Go for Experiences

Sometimes the best gifts aren’t things at all. A spa treatment, dinner at a new restaurant you think they would enjoy, a pass to a museum or botanical garden, or tickets to a coveted event can create lasting memories.

Make It Pretty

The presentation of a gift is part of the visual thrill, so be sure to wrap it nicely, either in wrapping paper with ribbon or a gift bag with matching tissue paper. Select a paper that’s appropriate to the occasion. And never give someone with a December birthday a gift wrapped in Christmas paper!

Ask Questions

If you are stumped, ask those close to the recipient for ideas, or go straight to the source to find out if there’s anything they would love for Santa to bring them this year. This may take some of the surprise out of the process, but it can be very effective at ensuring they end up with something they would truly enjoy and benefit from.

Dress Up a Gift Certificate

If you opt for a gift card, make it more personal by either pairing it with a smaller item or wrapping it nicely. For example, a gift card to a friend’s favorite coffee shop could be tucked inside a pretty mug or affixed to a box of gourmet biscotti, then wrapped in a seasonal gift bag.

Be sure to check out The Protocol School of Texas. For more gift-giving tips, you may also like Office Gift-Giving Etiquette Reminders. Read Diane’s posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on The Huffington Post, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.