Finding new gifting ideas

It’s an experience we’ve all had; you need to buy a gift for someone but have no idea what to get. Sometimes it’s because you don’t know them that well, or it’s someone – especially an older relative – who has everything they want already. Or it might be someone you do know well like a partner or long-term friend, who you’ve simply run out of new ideas for. You can find yourself falling back on old faithfuls like toiletries and confectionary, and while these can be very nice items to receive, it’s always more satisfying to come up with a clever idea that shows you care.

Coming up with ideas

It can be surprisingly stressful trying to think of what to buy, because you’re under a time pressure for one thing, and for another you want the gift’s recipient to be happy and appreciate the affection that lies behind your gesture. It’s never easy unless someone tells you precisely what they want, which is a very practical approach but does take some of the zing out of the whole experience. If you added up all the time you spent trying to think of smart gift ideas every year, you’d probably discover you could have written a reasonable length novel! So if there’s any way of getting through the block, you’ll save a lot of time and hassle.

Thinking outside the gift box

The immediate assumption about gifts is that they will be tangible objects, but buying someone an experience instead can be a great solution when you’re stuck for ideas. There are ready-made gift packages you can buy for all sorts of special days out covering a wide variety of different interests. You could select a locked room mystery adventure in the STL Escape Room, book some trapeze or high-wire lessons at a circus skills school, or treat your Mom to a pamper day at the spa. This is a growing market with new and alternative packages and experiences being made available all the time, so it’s perfect for novel and unusual gift ideas.

Making something special

Handmade gifts that are beautifully crafted and show skill and effort are very special, because you’ve given someone the gift of your talent and your time as well as the object itself. If you have the ability to create something special, don’t be shy about it – it will say volumes about your regard for whoever you make it for. If you don’t have a knack for the arts yourself, then there are many websites selling arts and crafts of all kinds and in all price ranges. You could get an original artwork, or something that has been personalized for that special someone, again showing you have gone the extra mile. Personalized gifts are always a great choice to make your loved ones feel special. There will also be local craftspeople and artists who can supply you with custom made items, very often made using local resources that will have an extra resonance for anyone who loves the area.

Stop fretting about what to get and go for something different or unique, and you’ll find the task of gift-buying will get a whole lot easier.