Gift Giving Guide
There is a decent number of people out there who fancy themselves great gift-givers. Those who are not among this group tend to have a hard time giving gifts when they wish to do so. Giving gifts remains one of the greatest gestures we have as people who mean something to each other. Here are a few things that will make it easier for you to give gifts out there.
A good place to start would be to avoid the temptation to match gift prices. Trying to match the price of the gift you received is a childish thing to do. You need to respect your budget and get an item within those confines, despite what the other party spent on yours. Price matching is a stressful process that leaves you feeling defeated. It is better to get them instead something thoughtful. That matters to them more than the cost of the gift.
Do not give out a gift you received from someone else. Such actions have a way of revealing themselves after a while. The person who gave you that gift will also be offended. If they had personalized it; they will feel even more offended.
You need to consider the culture of the recipient before gifting them. You will find other people who do not observe the holidays you do, for instance, and gifting them then is a bad idea. While you may unwrap a gift the moment you receive it, there are those who prefer to do it in private. Pressuring them to open them to observe their reaction would thus be offensive.
If you did not get a person a gift, be honest with them. Do not tell them you got them one because they surprised you with one. Being honest is only sensible, as you just got surprised, and so need time to find them one.
Always show appreciation for receiving a gift, whatever the gift may be. Thank them if it was given in person, or write them back or call them if it was mailed to you. Include a thank you note in a later correspondence. Handwritten ones go even further.
Whenever you are invited to someone’s house for a party or dinner, go with a gift. Something simple and thoughtful such as a bottle of wine will suffice.
Try and always give personalized gifts. You need to do so even for gift cards and cash. You can, for example, get a veteran one of these gifts for veterans online.
With these gift etiquette rules, you will not go wrong in the tradition. They make for a more cordial exchange of gifts, and show how much you care and think of the recipient. You can learn more about gift giving on this site.