A gift is often the best way to express sentiments of warmth, appreciation, caring and good wishes, especially around the holiday season. Yet, for many, the process of gift giving, from planning to purchasing and presentation of the perfect gift, is daunting. Giving presents should be exciting and fun, and with a few useful pointers, you can make it just that.
First, don’t be overwhelmed. With the right attitude, finding your gifts this year will be enjoyable. To achieve the right mindset, sit down with your favorite drink—whether it is a cup of coffee or hot chocolate—get cozy, and start making a list of all the people you want to give gifts to. This may include your immediate family, your in-laws, your shadchan, your boss, your coworkers, your clients, your child’s teachers, your child’s school bus driver, your superintendent, your mailman or any other professional who helps you throughout the year.
The first component of a great gift is making sure it is something your recipient will appreciate. Once you have created your list of recipients, note some of their interests, hobbies and day-to-day tasks. Then try to find a gift that suits each person’s interests or that would be useful in daily activities. With planning, you can find something that’s personal and also practical.
A benefit of the practical gift is that it is something the recipient will use often, making the gift a lasting reminder of your appreciation or your relationship with the recipient. The key to a good practical gift is to make it stand out. While a knife is practical, it’s not exactly gift material. A nice set of dessert plates with a coordinating, decorative cake knife, however, is practical and at the same time memorable.
It’s important to think about what the person already has so that your gift isn’t redundant. A bottle of fine wine given to the owner of a wine and liquor store would be consistent with his interests, but it’s also thoughtless, since the recipient owns countless wine bottles; however, a personalized corkscrew may be the perfect option. Other practical and thoughtful gifts include leather wallets, cosmetics bags, letter openers, clocks and even mugs. Giving a gift that your recipient can share with the entire family is also a great option. This enables the recipient’s family to recognize how appreciated their loved one is by others.
If you’re aiming for a more formal gift, those, too, can be long lasting. If the gift recipient likes hosting, a nice serving dish or centerpiece would be a great idea. If the recipient’s style is contemporary, look for a serving dish with a minimalist design. If the recipient is traditional, an antique piece might be more suitable.
As you work on narrowing down your gift ideas, you’ll need to consider your budget. Your relationship with the recipient will often determine how much you will want to spend. While you don’t want to spend too little, as this can damage your relationship by signifying that you don’t value the recipient, you also don’t want to over spend, as this may put a strain on the recipient to reciprocate when it is above the recipient’s means. If your family has lavish Chanukah parties, you may spend more than other families would. If your co-workers give each other simple gifts, then aim to get something simple but nice in return. In a work environment, it is common for high-level employees to spend more on gifts than those in junior positions. People spend anywhere from less than $25 to upward of $100 on presents, though gifts of more than $100 are generally given only in very special circumstances. At the end of the day, you will have to decide what spending you deem acceptable for each of your recipients.
Once you have your list, your notes and a budget in mind, the fun part begins. Now you can start shopping! Walk through specialty gift stores to get ideas, and if you are at a loss, speak to the sales representatives. They are experts at helping people find appropriate gifts.
The final steps of the gift-giving process are writing the message and wrapping the gift. A personal message makes a difference, and demonstrates to the recipient that you value your relationship. Cards should be handwritten to make them feel personal and should address the recipient by name. A creative card can reference the gift and make it part of the message, reference a shared experience or memory you are fond of, making it particular and personal rather than generic.
The wrapping is also important. A gift that is not wrapped shows carelessness and lack of effort. At Hostess International, we believe the wrapping is just as important as the gift itself. In fact, people who receive gifts from Hostess International often wait weeks before unwrapping the gift, simply because the presentation is so beautiful! A gift that is beautifully wrapped adds to the excitement of the recipient and makes the gift feel more expensive.
For more specific gift ideas, help with unique messaging or custom wrapping, visit the Hostess International showroom, or give us a call and we would be more than happy to assist you in finding and packaging creative gifts.
Hostess International provides a unique concept in custom gift giving. We help our customers find that perfect gift, beautifully wrapped and poetically expressed, creating everlasting memories. Leah Goldstein is the owner of Hostess International, and introduces a fresh, creative perspective into everything she does. She has been planning beautiful and memorable events for more than 20 years. With leading planners and designers, Hostess International is the hub for all things party related and gift giving. 718-437-6050 | www.hostessinternational.com
By Leah Goldstein
