The trouble with buying presents for people is that we all think we are really good at it. We get excited about an idea or hit the shops with a budget and come away feeling smug.  But how do we know we have done well? Some people are really good at faking it when they get presents.  Other people really do love what we get them but it’s often a risk. Kids are often a bit of a mystery too. They may just open something then move on to the next one, leaving you feeling a bit down about it. Yet you may find a week later that it is their favourite thing in the world.

So, is there a knack to buying presents for people? Well maybe there is…read on!

Who is it For?

Who you are buying for really makes a difference. If it’s for your other half, then you really should already know what to buy for them. BUT it can still be tricky. The key is to really pay attention to them for a good month or two before.  Try to see what they like at that time. We can all be a bit fickle and while our tastes don’t change the small interests can. It may be that your partner has talked about a good book recently, if they have, then find other books by the same author. Have a look at their YouTube history, you might find they have suddenly started watching football skills videos or how to cook videos. These things can inform your choice and you can end up buying a present that is based on short term interests rather than long term tastes and that is all the more exciting.

Buying for a Kids’ Party

Most of us will have felt the pain of trying to buy a present for someone else’s child for your child to take to a party. There is the budget stress.  Then the stress that you might duplicate what someone else has bought and just the stress of getting it wrong. There are lots of really good gift sites that can really do a lot of the work for you. Sites like https://www.yesiwantit.com/ are choc full of choices and some pretty off the wall stuff too. These kinds of sites are perfect for getting something unique and fun for your kids to give their friends. They are often bang on trend too.  Plus you can order online so you don’t have to deal with the hassle of shopping.

Buying for Friends

This is a tricky one, there are different levels of friendship, different length of friendship and so much more. The key is to treat the friend a little like your other half and do some digging.  It is quite easy to simply ask someone what they are into but you can cover it up by asking if they can suggest any good books, or hobbies etc. However, there is something readily available that can be really effective and that is the “experience”. Experience days and experiences are so popular and for good reason. They make for great memories and they really help with our growing culture of bucket list living where we all want to tick a few things off. Companies like https://www.fizzbox.com allow you to search a massive range of things from cocktail making classes to footgolf, sky diving to afternoon tea and so much more. As a gift, an experience can be redeemed when the recipient is ready and it allows them to maybe even invite you along or a family member to share in the fun. Experiences are also perfect for group gifts, why not speak to some pals and chip in for something amazing rather than yet another present that involves plastic packaging and waste that may never get used.

Buying for Parents

After all those years of parents buying us the perfect presents why is it so hard to return the favour? Many parents play the “oh, don’t worry about little old me” card when they actually want something really amazing. Other’s are quite open about not being happy with whatever we buy. The key is to try and think like them and treat them like humans and not “parents”. It’s so easy to fall into a childlike role when buying for parents when we should be thinking like a someone of their age. Vouchers can be a cracking idea for parents, retired parents often take up hobbies and a well targeted voucher can mean they can indulge in something they really want. It also shows you take notice of what they like! But again, experiences can also be great gifts for your parents and a nice way to give them a treat. Consider meal vouchers too! They might want to head out for a posh dinner on you!

By avoiding last minute rush buying and really thinking you can win at buying presents this year. What you do next year is another story completely.