A guide to gift giving
A guide to gift-giving for the holiday season
Leanna Flexo '24
Arts and Entertainment and Features Editor
Gift-giving can be a challenging endeavor; you want to make sure you get the perfect gift for that special someone, all while staying within a certain budget and not going overboard. Especially with the Christmas season right around the corner, there is a lot of pressure to find the right gifts for your friends and family. Hopefully, this guide will help you think of the perfect gift for your loved ones.
The secret to finding the perfect gift is to really get to know that person, inside and out. First, figure out what their interests or passions are. Maybe they like music, play an instrument, practice a sport, like to read, etc. Your gift could help fuel their passions and inspire them to practice their hobbies or talents.
Another tip is to pay attention to conversations you have with the person. They might talk to you about certain things they really like or have been wanting for a long time. Maybe it's a really good book they have been wanting to read, a special makeup product or new shoes. Whatever it is, by listening to their conversations and how excited they are about what they want, getting that item for them will truly reveal just how much you care about that person.
An example of a nicely wrapped holiday gift to give
If you still don’t know what to get after those two tips, a good fallback is always self-care items. This includes products like face masks, body scrubs, lotion, lip-balm, body mists, nail kits, candles, bath bombs and more. The nice thing about getting self-care gifts is that you can't really go wrong with them. People always love being treated to face masks or new lotions, so getting any of these items will most-likely make them more than happy. Places like Bath and Body Works or Lush are good stores to get these items, as you can get a gift-package and all the work is already done for you.
Clothes can also make for an ideal gift. You can get festive Christmas pajamas, sweats, sweatshirts or any other clothing items that the person wears a lot. Getting cute and fuzzy Christmas socks are always a spirited and festive item in honor of the holiday season. Getting clothes from their favorite brand is also really nice, as it is more targeted to what they like.
However, you want to make sure that whatever clothing you do purchase is the right size. If you don’t know their size, you can guess, but just be cautious, and there are always other gifts you can get instead. You can always casually ask them what size they are, but try not to be too conspicuous about it, unless you want to pull an Edward Cullen and sneak into their room in the middle of the night.
All in all, the Christmas season is a great time to show your appreciation for your loved ones by getting gifts for them. However, even though getting gifts for people is important, do not feel pressured to purchase extremely expensive and extravagant gifts that you know you can’t pay for. Setting a budget before you shop is a smart idea so that you can keep yourself on track and not go overboard.
The tradition of gift giving is a really significant part of Christmas, as it brings people together. But then again, try not to get too wrapped up in trying to get the best gift for someone, because in the end, gifts are just a materialistic thing. Love is at the core of gift giving, not money or value. Even if you don’t get the most expensive gift or get the item that the person really wanted, it is truly the thought that counts.