When holidays, birthdays, and other big events come around you can start to feel the pressure of choosing the perfect gift. While we truly believe that any gift is special when it comes from someone you love, we understand the desire to choose something that has meaning. I mean, I love a Starbucks gift card, but there are definitely gifts out there that have more meaning.
As you begin your search there are a few questions you can ask yourself to help hone in on gift ideas that will feel personalized and make an impact. Keep in mind, they don’t need to be big extravagant gifts in order to be memorable or meaningful. In this blog we’ll cover each of these questions and real-life examples.
Focus on Their Interests
What is the recipient passionate about?
My dad loves learning about Viking history. One of my favorite gifts I’ve given him was a coffee table book that covered various Viking history. This was such a fun gift because he’d call me up as he was reading through it and share interesting new facts he learned. Not only was it cool for him, but it gave us a chance to connect on the topic as well.
What are their hobbies or favorite weekend activities?
One summer, my friend purchased a paddleboard and had asked me if I wanted to go out with her. I had always wanted to give it a try so I met up with her and we had a great time. Not only was it an amazing workout, but it was such a unique way to spend time just the two of us with no distractions. I moved away at the end of that summer, but to commemorate those memories I wish I would have gifted her something special like a keychain with a paddleboard on it, a picture of us from that summer in a cute new picture frame, or even a pass to go paddle boarding together.
Tie in Shared Experiences
What are some core memories that you share?
My little sisters and I watched an endless number of Barbie movies when we were younger. One of the top ranking was Barbie and the Diamond Castle. In the movie, there is a specific stone that the two best friends find and make into matching necklaces. Reminded about this movie thanks to TikTok, I set out to find a replica of this necklace for my sister’s birthday. It was such a special memory to relive together. Whenever I see her wear it I remember the hours of Princess Barbie movies we would watch as kids.
Have you gone on any vacations with this person?
Right after high school I traveled to Costa Rica with my mom. We have so many special memories from our trip together. I know she would love any kind of memento to remember that adventure.
One of the towns we visited that stood out was the colorful Sarchí. This little town was full of artisan painted oxcarts in vibrant colors. To commemorate this stop I would love to find a mug designed with similar patterns and colors to the oxcarts. To pair with this souvenir, I’d find an artisan coffee from Costa Rica.
Tailor it to Their Personality
Do you have any personal inside jokes?
This is the perfect example of when I say that memorable gifts don’t need to be extravagant.
In my freshman year of high school I started dancing a lot more than I was used to. This led to tired nights and very sore/tired muscles. I started having trouble with leg cramps and as you might now, the potassium from bananas has been rumored to help cramps (that is not medical advice). My dad and I had been making jokes for months about bananas being the miracle cure to my sore legs. So, when I opened up my birthday gift and found a banana at the bottom of the gift bag, we both burst into a roar of laughter. To this day, I can honestly say it was one of the most memorable gifts I’ve ever received.
How would you describe them to a friend?
My amazing, wonderful husband is probably the funniest person I’ve ever met. When anyone asks what I love about him the most, my answer is always how much he makes me laugh. One year I was really struggling to come up with a birthday gift idea for him when it hit me – a comedy show. I loved that this gift would be an experience for the both of us.
If you’re feeling inspired, I challenge you to jot down your thoughts to a few of these prompts. If you’ve found any of these tips helpful, please let us know by leaving a comment below or sharing this post with a friend. And, if you would like some ideas on where to find personalized, unique gifts – check out our Ultimate Online and In-Store Guide to Thoughtful Personalized Gifts blog. Thanks so much for stopping by!
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