Gift Giving Guide: 6 Characteristics of a Great Gift
What makes a great gift? It's a question that has been asked many times over. The answer, however, is not always so clear. Is it the thought that counts? The price tag? The rarity of the item? Whether or not the gift is something the recipient wants or needs, In this gift-giving guide, we will take a look at six characteristics of a great gift. Hopefully, by reading this post, you will have a little better idea of what to look for when shopping for presents. So, without further ado, let's get started!
It's Sentimental
One of the first characteristics of a great gift is the fact that it is sentimental in some way. Many studies have been conducted to determine whether or not people appreciate expensive gifts compared to sentimental gifts, and the results show that, on average, most people would prefer to receive a sentimental gift, such as a custom star map from Printed Memories, for example. A custom star map is not just a beautiful addition to any home but also serves as a sweet reminder of treasured memories.
What’s very interesting is that the sentimentality of the gift is dependent on the person who is gifting it. For example, if a stranger were to gift you something sentimental, it wouldn’t have nearly as much of an impact as if someone in your family did.
It Solves a Problem
The next characteristic of a great gift is that it solves a problem that the receiver is having. This means that you could also say that one of the characteristics of a great gift is the practicality of the gift, in other words; the purpose it serves for the recipient.
For example, if the person has expressed an interest in DIY, getting them a DIY starter kit that includes a cordless drill and a small toolkit would be far more appreciated than a watch, for example. The same holds for someone who has expressed an interest in learning how to cook; buying them a few online cooking classes would be considered by that person to be an amazing gift.
It Doesn’t Create a Problem
Of all the characteristics of a great gift, one of the most important is that it doesn’t create a problem. One gift that creates quite a few problems for the recipient would be gift cards, and those should be avoided at all costs.
The primary reason for this is that when people receive gift cards, they have an abundance of choices. And when people have an abundance of choices, they often don’t know what to do, which can cause negative feelings. Another mistake that you should avoid is assuming that you need to get something unique for each person. If two people want the same gift, get it for them both.
It’s Not Overly Expensive
Another interesting discovery that many studies have found is that the person buying the gifts assumes that the more expensive the gift is, the more it will be appreciated. However, funnily enough, this is not the case at all, and it turns out that appreciation doesn’t increase with the price tag of a gift.
If anything, studies have found that if you buy someone a really expensive gift, it will make them feel uncomfortable. And one of the reasons for this is that the recipient might assume that they need to reciprocate with a gift of equal value. In addition to this, it also turns out that recipients undervalue the monetary value of gifts that are given to them by quite a large margin.
It Relates to an Interest of the Person
One of the most important characteristics of a great gift is that it needs to relate to an interest that a person has. As mentioned above, gifts that solve problems are considered great gifts, and gifts that relate to an interest the person has are even better.
For example, if the person enjoys playing video games on their computer, you could get them a gaming keyboard, gaming mouse, or other accessories for the computer to improve the gaming experience. If the person enjoys a specific series such as Stranger Things, you could get them merch related to the show; shirts, cups, posters, and so on.
