Am I gifting right?

What you give someone for a present can make them remember you or dislike you forever! These tips will help you with ideas for the perfect present.

Gift

Don't show-off: Buying a superexpensive present to demonstrate your purchasing power is vulgar and boorish. Gifts are meant to express love and appreciation. Also be occasion-appropriate. Don't, for example, give gold earrings for a friend's anniversary, even if you can afford it. Appropriate (safe if somewhat dull) presents include chocolates, wine or flowers for a dinner party; a coupon to buy books/DVDs/clothes for a birthday; a DVD player for a niece's wedding; and watches for your parent's 50th anniversary. But remember, inexpensive does not mean poor quality. So whatever you buy, whether it is flowers or chocolates, do your research, buy the best you can.

Make it personal: Your thoughtfulness is what makes the difference between a good present and a great one. If you want your surprise to be perfect, invest a little time to figure out what the person will really enjoy. It may not always be something the person requires; it is better to gift something he or she wants but does not really need - gifts are, after all, a matter of indulgence. So gifting your parents a luxury weekend works better than yet another shawl or saree.

Put in a little effort: It's a good idea to make a gift - a batch of cookies nicely packaged, for instance - but be careful to know that this will be appreciated from the heart - or your efforts will go waste. Accept Graciously: If you give a gift, chances are you will get one in return, too. Accept gifts gracefully - someone's taken the trouble to bring you something nice. Don't be all hoity-toity and refuse to accept friendly offerings. It's rather rude and churlish to spurn a gift, or to rebuke a person (even if they are your son, daughter or a close friend) for "wasting money" on you.

Put in a note - say something that you appreciate in the person. Make sure you do not write something generic or worse, an untruth. Keep it simple, straightforward and real. This adds a personal touch to the gift and makes the person feel good, that you took out time to think of her and what she brings to your life.

Great Picks

1 Thinking of gifting your sister-in-law yet another unstitched salwar-kameez piece? Yawn! There's nothing more vanilla than a swathe of fabric! Instead, give a wellgroomed woman a manicure set, or gift a nice airtight plastic container (with gourmet cookies in it) as a useful addition to a devoted homemaker's kitchen. Think out-of-the-box and do not repeat gifts.

2 Goodie-bags are a huge hit, too. Preteen or teenaged nieces and friends' daughters will love unearthing loads of pretty little trinkets from a nicely packaged bag. Many mature women who don't find a lot of time to pamper themselves, will also be delighted with a bag of small indulgences. You can make a goodie-bag with things of the same sort, such as an assortment of bath products, and a selection of nail colours. Or you could throw in loads of different things - a signature locket, a few good-quality chocolates, a flavoured lip-balm, a cellphone cover, a small vial of perfume, a hand-mirror.

3 Avoid gifting lucky charms such as vaastu or feng shui objet d'art, Turkish evil-eye beads and dreamcatchers unless you are sure the receiver believes in it. Also, avoid things such as deodorants and cigarettes - the vintage wine bottle is fine but not regular spirits.

4 Vouchers work well but not if the person receiving the voucher will never get around to redeeming it! Gift your husband or a close friend a spa, a salon, or a shopping voucher - depending on their personal taste.

By India Today | Good Housekeeping India

Am I gifting right?