I enjoy giving gifts to the people I love. I feel that by giving something thoughtful and special, I show the person how much I care. It’s not about how much the gift costs but how much I show them that I have been observant, thoughtful, and that I love to make a smile come to their face. But this is not always an easy task.
I often just ask the person outright or ask someone in the household, “What do you think they are hoping for this year?” I will then take something from that list and add another small gift that might go along with the item. If I am lucky, I will have been with the person at some time in the past year and had that “aha” moment that points the way to the perfect gift.
Then there are gift cards. Normally I really dislike giving gift cards. Part of the reason for that is I have come across so many unused cards at clients’ homes. I think of all the money spent on these cards that is totally wasted. But for some people there are items that they love but they need to buy the items themselves. For example, my brother loves books. I have no idea what he already has or what he wants to read so a gift card to a book store is a great gift for him. I know he would totally use up that gift card and probably add some of his own money to it and come away a happy man.
My favorite gift is one that allows a person to have a wonderful experience. That lets them to something they might not otherwise do. Tickets to events, gift cards to their favorite restaurant, a season pass to a museum or botanical garden, or a promise to spend a day with them are all very special gifts.
I would love feedback on how you handle the art of gift giving.
Jonda S. Beattie Professional Organizer
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