How To Become A Truly Excellent Gift Given
It’s a special kind of agony to realize, while exchanging gifts with someone, that they got you something way, way better than what you got them. Price isn’t what’s most important. What’s important is matching the right thing to the right person.
— First, try to tick one of three gift-giving boxes:
• Can I introduce someone to something they might not otherwise know about?
• Can I get them a nicer version of something than they would buy for themselves?
• Can I make them feel seen?
— Keep a running list of gift ideas:
Almost universally, great gift-givers are doing legwork throughout the year, not just in the weeks leading up to a birthday or major holiday. Many keep lists of potential gifts for their friends and loved ones, which they update every time someone mentions an item they’d love or when their internet travels turn up a particularly great present idea.
— Don’t stress about gifts for people you don’t know well:
From an etiquette standpoint, try personalizing gifts to people you don’t know very well, without getting too personal. For a co-worker, a signed greeting card and a gift card aligned with their interests can be a good option. Avoid giving someone “the gift equivalent of mansplaining” — i.e. an entry-level item pertaining to their interest, like the Joy of Cooking for an amateur chef — or buying them something so esoteric that it looks like you’re trying to one-up them.
