Buying presents can be expensive and often gifts are purchased more out of duty or obligation than they are out of desire. That’s a bad place to be when gifting because the truth is, a gift should come from the heart. It should be something that you want to do. Because if it isn’t the way in which it is given will be felt by the recipient. In short, don’t go through the motions when buying gifts, invest in the process and do it properly or don’t do it at all. What exactly does this mean and how do you go about it? Here are a few simple tips to help make you the best gift-giver in your family.

Thought

If you have never heard the expression ‘it’s the thought that counts’ then you probably haven’t been paying attention. But it is important to understand what this means. It doesn’t mean that you can gift anything as long as you remember to buy a gift. There really isn’t any thought in that process. It is not remembering that counts, it is the level of thought that goes into it. So, for instance, if you need to buy gifts for baby shower, don’t just grab a pack of diapers while doing the grocery; rather apply some proper thought to the process. Who are the parents? What do they need? What is their position regarding the environment (disposable nappies are not good if they are activists)? What are they likely to appreciate? Is it a boy or a girl? What is your relationship with the baby going to be? So many things to consider – all of which should inform the gift that you buy.

Effort

Always remember that a gift is about making an effort, it is not about the amount that you spend on the gift. And while people obviously like to receive fancy, expensive presents, they are usually very appreciative of gifts that have involved effort from the giver. This means that if budgets are tight, you have a full license to go out and make things. You know the person who will be on the receiving end of the gift so make sure it is something that they will appreciate. But go all out to bake, make, knit or draw something that will speak volumes for how you feel about them.

The whole package

As important as a baby gift is, it is the details that surround the present that sends the clearest message. The card, for instance, should always have a message in it. Put a little bit of your heart into the card and let the person know how you feel about them. Modern people tend to be very closed with their emotions and they don’t like to share. Things like birthdays or anniversaries provide rare opportunities to speak unabashedly from the heart. Let your people know that they are appreciated, loved, missed or admired. Whatever it is, a card on a gift if a good place to do it and it adds a lot of weight to the gift.