Gift Giving Etiquette

Gift giving etiquette was invented in order to help you give the right gift at the right time. However, when it comes to birthdays there are simple guidelines you can use anytime, to make your gift giving experience fun:

1. Always put your recipient’s preferences first

It is very easy to get confused and buy a gift we would like to receive ourselves, thinking the recipient will like it as well. Different people have different tastes; therefore, indulge them in something they would enjoy.

For example, think of your music preferences: are they the same as your mother’s, brother’s, sister’s or your sweetheart’s?

Now let’s say you want to buy your mother a new CD for her birthday; it only makes sense to get her favorite music and not yours.

The same goes for fashion gifts, jewelry, art, etc.

2. You have to differentiate between boys and girls

I know it’s not a very politically correct thing to say, but you can’t help the fact that boys and girls think in different ways and what seems cute and fun for girls might considered boring and stupid by boys.

Girls prefer more thoughtful and sentimental stuff while guys need practical gifts.

Take a look at this example:

As a girl, your idea of a romantic gift is a long-stem red rose covered in gold; a love poem telling how exquisite you are and how much he loves you; a two piece heart necklace which you each keep one side of to show his eternal devotion.

Sounds really romantic, right?

Now can you imagine a guy getting that kind of gift? Do you think he’s going to get all excited about that? I think he might be disappointed.

Therefore, think practical.

Now take a look at what your guy might like:

You arrange a romantic picnic dinner with his favorite food and dessert and, as the gift, you give him a telescope so he can watch the stars with you. Don’t you think he would go crazy about his present?

3. Gift giving etiquette - Always give a gift that makes you feel proud

If you buy something just so you could cross it off your list, it will never be a winner. It will look like you just want to get it over with, and your recipient will feel it.

When you buy or make something that you are happy about, your recipient will sense that: they’ll know you invested a lot of yourself in the gift and it will make them feel connected to that item.

Think for a second about the gifts you gave your mom as a child. You felt so proud of every gift you made, and your mother was glowing with happiness and excited to see the effort you had put into it.

It is just like the expression; “it’s the thought that counts”.

When your birthday celebrant feels you have invested in him or her and thought about them, it will make a huge impact on them.

When it comes to birthday gift giving etiquette, basically there are three things you should always keep in mind, put your recipient’s preferences first, differentiate between boys and girls and always give a gift that makes you feel proud.

Easy. Right?!