How to Give a Great Gift to Someone

Co-authored by Allen Wagner, MFT, MA

Last Updated: March 5, 2023 References Approved

It can be nerve-racking finding a great gift for someone. Finding a gift that the recipient will enjoy takes a bit of forward thinking and an understanding of the recipient's personality and tastes.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Finding Gifts for Someone You Know Well

1
Make a list of the person’s interests and preferences. Personalize the gift by sitting down and making a list of the person’s interests and likes, whether it is video games or Thai food. Try to write down as many specific items or experiences that the person has told you she likes or is known to enjoy.^{[1]
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- Consider whether the person is an introvert, extrovert, or an ambivert. This will help you decide what sort of experience is best for them.
- Take into account their age. A 45-year-old may appreciate a different gift than someone who is 16 years old.
- Try to know about their hobby. If the person loves gardening, try to send an indoor plant as a gift.
2
Consider how close you are to that person. If you have a close relationship with the person, be it intimate or platonic, you may select a gift that is more personal. If you are not close to the person, you may choose a gift that is more useful or accessible. For example:
- A romantic, thoughtful, or sentimental gift would work well for a romantic partner. It can be an experience gift or even an experience, such as a fancy dinner.
- A best friend may appreciate a symbol of your friendship. For example, if you bonded over Harry Potter, consider a Harry Potter themed gift.
- If this is an acquaintance, a gift card is always a safe bet. They can use it to buy whatever they want.
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3
Identify items the person may need. Think about any items the person may need in their day-to-day life or a big purchase that the person needs to do but has been putting off. This could be a new kitchen appliance the person has been eyeing or a new backpack the person needs for a new year of school.^{[2]
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- Look for practical gifts that still feel like a treat, as the gift may be out of the person’s budget or the person may not have time to get the item herself.
- Avoid going too far over their budget or it may be taken as an insult - consider what will be a surprise but not a shock.
4
Sneak a look at the person’s online wish lists. If you can be sneaky, try to look at the person’s online wish lists. Many online retailers, like eBay and Etsy, will allow users to make online wish lists of items that they like or want. If you can manage to get into the person’s account, you can look over their wish list and select a gift from there.^{[3]
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- Only sneak a look at her account if you're close to them and if you think they won't mind you looking at their account.
- If the person doesn't have a wish list, pay close attention to the things they mention. For example, if they say repeatedly how much they like a certain purse, take that as a hint!
5
Consider giving the person a sentimental item. Maybe you have a photograph of the two of you together that you know the person likes. Frame the photograph and give it to them as a sentimental and thoughtful gift that they can display in their home.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Allen Wagner, MFT, MA
Marriage & Family Therapist
Expert Interview. 6 March 2019.}
- Another option is to take items that have sentimental value, such as a souvenir from the first time you went on vacation together, and put them in a memory box.
6
Arrange an experience as a gift. Often, giving the gift of an experience can be more impactful than giving a person an item. This could be a couples massage, a paint and sip class, a sky diving date, or dinner at the person’s favorite restaurant. Think of experiences that will surprise and excite the person, as these will often make a lasting impression.^{[5]
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- You can also give the person an experience in the form of audiobooks. This would help the person to fill her time learning and listening to a good story.
7
Donate your time as part of the gift. If the person is often stressed, overworked, or going through a hard time, offer to gift her your time. This could be by doing all the yard work for a week or by taking her kids out for the day so she has some free time to herself.^{[6]
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- Gifting your time can also be good for individuals who have physical or mental disabilities, as you can offer to take her for dinner and assist her for the night or run an errand for her that she will not able to do on her own.
8
Make a homemade gift. Homemade gifts can make the best gifts, as they are often thoughtful and detailed. Homemade gifts also show the receiver that you spent lots of time and effort on her gift, which she will surely appreciate. Set aside some time and create a homemade gift you think the person will love, such as homemade bath products, homemade cookies mixes, or homemade candles. You could then give the person an individual homemade item or put the homemade items in a basket and give her a whole bunch of homemade things.
- Another homemade option is to create a DIY item for the person’s home. This could be a small item of furniture, an item to hang on the wall, or an item for her deck or patio.
- If you have a passion for cooking or baking, a good gift option may be a batch of freshly baked cookies or an offer to cook dinner for the person.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Finding a Gift for Someone You Do Not Know Well

1
Create a homemade hostess gift. A hostess gift is what you bring to someone's house when they are hosting you for dinner or for a get-together. A classic hostess gift is a nice bottle of wine, but if your hosts do not drink or if you are looking for a more unique gift, you may go homemade. This could be a homemade mix of spices and seasonings in a nice jar or bottle for the host to throw on chicken or fish, or a homemade cake or loaf for dessert, wrapped in wax paper.
- You could also bring other homemade items like candles, soap, or sugar scrubs.
- If you do not know the host well, you may opt for edible gifts that have wide appeal.
2
Buy a practical gift for a teacher or boss. If you are trying to find a suitable gift for an authority figure, like your teacher or your boss, you may opt for practical items. This could be a gift basket of school supplies, full of all of the teacher's essential school supplies for the next school year or a gift basket of tea and coffee, if your teacher enjoys warm, comforting beverages.^{[7]
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Research source} Or, you could make her a personalized coffee sleeve for her coffee mug.
3
Choose a practical, but thoughtful gift for employers. There is nothing wrong with giving your boss a gift, but you should play it safe. Something is that both practical and thoughtful would work well, especially if you want to impress them. For example:^{[8]
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- A nice succulent plant in a pot is always a great gift. You could also make them a glass terrarium to brighten up their office.
- If your boss drinks and enjoys cocktails, give her a seven-piece cocktail set or a nice wine opener.
- If you know your boss's sense of humor, consider giving her a funny calendar for the new year that she can put on her desk.
4
Take a colleague out to lunch as a gift. If you are looking for a gift for a work colleague, consider treating him for lunch one day or a nice after-work dinner. This will allow you both to take a break from work and de-stress, while still remaining professional of course.
- If you are trying to think of gifts for several colleagues, consider buying each person a nice bottle of wine or making them nice gift baskets. Try to give everyone the same gift, as you do not want to show favoritism in the office.
5
Ask people who are close to the person for gift advice. If you are stumped on gift ideas for someone you do not know well, you may want to reach out to any friends or individuals close to them for gift ideas. Pull aside another colleague who is close to your boss and ask her for advice or call another friend who is attending the same event for ideas on hostess gifts.
- Brainstorm with others for the perfect gift, and discuss ideas beforehand to make sure you both don't end up getting the person the same gift.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Giving the Gift to the Person

1
Personalize the gift wrapping. A big part of the fun of giving a gift is watching the person unwrap the gift. Make the gift wrapping personal to the person by choosing wrapping that is in the person’s favorite color or that has the person’s favorite animal printed all over it. Use ribbon or bows on the gift wrapping for an added touch.^{[9]
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- You may also want to get creative with the wrapping by using a nice gift box or gift bag and tissue paper.
- Alternatively, wrap the gift in duct tape or masking tape. You can then watch them struggle to open the gift, just reassure them it will be worth it once they get to the gift inside.
2
Include a card with the gift. Write up a nice card to accompany the gift, as this is considered a considerate touch to any gift. Use a card that expresses how you feel about the person. Often, funny cards are a good way to brighten someone’s day and get her more excited for the actual gift.
- If you are giving the person an experience in the form of gift cards or a certificate, place them in the card and use the envelope as gift wrapping.
3
Get creative with the giving of the gift. Rather than simply hand the gift over to the person, get creative and make the gift-giving element interesting. Send the person on a scavenger hunt to find her gift or put a secret message in the person’s favorite book that she must decode to locate her gift.^{[10]
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- You can also leave the gift in an area she may not expect to find a gift and let her experience a surprise that way.
- Being creative about giving the gift can help to amplify the excitement for the receiver and make her experience of receiving the gift that much better.

Gift Ideas

Sample Gift Ideas

Expert Q&A
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Question

Why do people make such a big deal out of gifts?

Allen Wagner, MFT, MA
Marriage & Family Therapist
Allen Wagner is a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Los Angeles, California. He received his Master's in Psychology from Pepperdine University in 2004. He specializes in working with individuals and couples on ways they can improve their relationships. Along with his wife, Talia Wagner, he's the author of Married Roommates.

Allen Wagner, MFT, MA

Marriage & Family Therapist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Items and experiences can take on special meaning for people. If you grew up going to baseball games all the time with your dad, your spouse getting you tickets for a ball game is going to trigger all kinds of meaningful positive feelings. But some people don't really put much importance on gifts. If that's you, it's totally okay.
Question

Does liking gifts make you shallow?

Allen Wagner, MFT, MA
Marriage & Family Therapist
Allen Wagner is a licensed marriage and family therapist based in Los Angeles, California. He received his Master's in Psychology from Pepperdine University in 2004. He specializes in working with individuals and couples on ways they can improve their relationships. Along with his wife, Talia Wagner, he's the author of Married Roommates.

Allen Wagner, MFT, MA

Marriage & Family Therapist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

It’s not about being materialistic, it’s more about the significance of that person getting you something! The gift on its own is just a thing, but the fact that someone thought of you enough to get it for you proves that you're loved.