How to purchase the perfect present every time.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… every store is brimming with Christmas gifts and cards. But, as you drag yourself from store to bustling store, scouring the shelves, searching for the perfect present, the shopping experience becomes more and more overwhelming. You just can’t seem to find anything ‘right’. Discouraged, lots of us then take to shopping online. But all we’ve really done is swap walking up and down aisles aimlessly for scrolling up and down webpages hopelessly. We keep dreaming the perfect gift will just jump off the page at us.

It’s not just a Christmas problem either! Throughout the year, no matter what occasion, we never seem to know quite what to buy everyone.
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Then there’s a whole other problem – recognising the perfect gift as just that – the perfect gift. What if, in all your exhaustion, you just scrolled right on past it? Or in the store, surrounded by bunting and lights, you can’t process all the individual items they are selling and miss it? After it all, the only thing you’ve done is get your step count completed for the day successfully! Ultimately, it’s all because you don’t really know what you’re looking for.
But, what if I told you there’s a better way to find the perfect gift? Well, just keep reading, because I’m going to give you all my top tips and tricks for successful gift shopping!

The first thing you need to know is how to shop the right way. You’re aiming to find gifts that make the recipient feel like they have been picked specifically for them and will light up their face with a smile. The way to do this is to remember this one thing: It’s not about what you like – it’s all about them. We are all such different people that it’s important to focus your search on what makes them unique and not just on what you like. Be thoughtful and personal in your shopping instead of just panicking last minute and having to buy something in a rush or buying subconsciously for yourself.

So, how do you do this successfully?

The trick is to ask the right questions. You’ll be happy to know I’ve made a list of them below for you! Simply ask yourself these questions before you begin shopping and you’ll be on your way to choosing the perfect gift!
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The first question to ask yourself is: What do they love?

This is an important question to start with because it will help you focus on the recipient as an individual. Think about if they have a special interest you can use as inspiration. Hobbies are a great place to start to think of gift ideas. A framed picture of their favourite hobby, like our golf design for instance, is an amazing way to show them you are thinking of what they love.

Next consider: What is their aesthetic or style?

If you’re familiar with their home think about the style they like to project. Do they have a rustic theme in their home? Do they have a farmhouse kitchen? Then, perhaps, consider something like this cottage design. Or think about their clothing style or what they are drawn to and pick up if you have been shopping with them.

It’s also important to think: Have they any health problems or allergies?

You need to make sure they will be able to make use of what you buy them. If in doubt, here are some things you may want to avoid: bath or shower products they could be allergic to if they have sensitive skin, flowers for a hay fever sufferer, anything that contains nuts they could be allergic to, and so on.

Once you have ruled all the medical issues out you need to also ask: What could they use? What do they need?
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These two questions are about the practicality of your present choice. Think about their lifestyle and if what you are thinking of purchasing fits with that. You don’t want to get your in-laws something crazy after all! A good idea is to think of any events coming up in their life they would need something for. For example, are they starting school, going on holiday, beginning a new job or course?

Another question to think about is: Am I purchasing a present for a special event?

This is great because it automatically creates new gift options! You can customise the gift by incorporating something that reflects the occasion you’re purchasing the gift for. For example, for a general birthday you could think about their birthstone colour. For a wedding anniversary gift think about including the theme associated with that anniversary, such as lace, wood, silver etc. Gifts like our pebble art are ideal for these events because they can be customised to perfectly match every occasion.

​Before we go any further, there is another big question: What is my budget?

The biggest piece of advice I’ll give you here is to have a budget and stick to it. Easier said than done sometimes I know! But, that’s usually because we think we need to blow our budget to get that perfect gift when, really, thoughtfulness and usefulness are much more important that spending a huge amount. A handmade gift can actually be one of the most treasured by the recipient but also cost effective. If you want to save money this Christmas season, I highly recommend our DIY kits where you can make a personalised gift on a budget. Honestly, it will mean so much more since you made it yourself!

​Finally, you should ask yourself: Is there something you and the recipient share that you could incorporate into your gift?
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Do you have a special memory you share? Is there a certain hobby you enjoy together? Or is there something they have mentioned in conversation with you that you could take inspiration from? (It’s one of the nicest feelings to know that someone has been listening!) Again, think about a personalised gift that they will know is especially for them – and that you haven’t just passed on an unwanted gift to them!

Well, that’s it – my top seven questions to ask yourself before you go gift shopping.

Answering all these questions will help you focus on the finding the perfect present and, even better, over time you will become an experienced gift buyer! If you use these set of questions every time, you’ll soon find you’re having gift ideas even before you need them! You will be able to make a list of ideas so when you do need to buy a specific gift you will already have a list of ideas!
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Happy Shopping!