Gift giving doesn't have to be a headache - or at least, not when you have the kinds of options available today. Not only is there an incredible variety of options to give as gifts, it's also remarkably easy to get your hands on what you want. Read on to learn about the best ways to come up with a gift and find out how to pinpoint a gift that is always appropriate.
Think about the occasion
If you're searching for gift ideas, it helps to start by planning out the type and style of the occasion that requires a gift. Is it a formal affair? A common occurrence? A once-in-a-lifetime evening?
Figuring out exactly how unique the occasion is can help you get a hold on the style of gift you'd like to give.
Consider the recipient
The next step in planning out a gift-giving scheme is thinking about the recipient of your gift. Is it someone you're close to? Is it someone you feel obligated to give a gift to? Is it someone you adore, admire, or respect?
It's also wise to separate the "tone" of the gift you'll give. If you're planning to give a gift to someone in your office or to your boss, you're best off maintaining a semi-formal approach. If you're planning to give a gift to someone special in your life, then it's fine to go for something more intimate or meaningful.
Coming up with answers to these questions will help you get a handle on the quality of gift you're looking for, as well as the price.
Plan out your budget
Before you go shopping for anything, it's a good idea to get a grip on your budget. Figure out exactly how much money you'd like to spend so you don't end up going overboard.
Not only will planning a budget help you stay focused on picking a suitable gift for your needs, it will also keep you from falling victim to the thrill of "instant purchasing" (where you buy whatever you like and then deal with the cost later). Similarly, it'll save you from post-purchase sticker shock (finding out once you're home that you paid quite a bit more for your gift than you planned to pay).
Come up with ideas
To expedite your gift hunting process, come up with ideas for possible gifts. If you don't have anything specific in mind, you can't go wrong by looking for standard favorites that tend to be appreciated no matter what.
Some time-tested gift ideas include food gifts, floral gifts, or gifts of drink. Food is often a wise choice because it's useful and can instantly be enjoyed. Gifts of drink, such as wine or liqueur, are also widely appreciated and work well for a variety of recipients.
Floral gifts tend to be an area where you can't go wrong, no matter what the occasion or who the recipient.
Why you can't go wrong giving a gift of flowers
Besides being widely enjoyed and commonly appreciated, flowers are unlikely to offend anybody who receives them as a gift.
For instance, if you have to give a gift to someone on a diet, flowers won't knock them off the wagon. If the person you're gifting doesn't drink alcohol, flowers won't insult their lifestyle choice the way a gift of wine or liqueur would.
The only risk you face in giving a gift of flowers is that your recipient may be allergic to certain types of blooms. Fortunately, many of the floral gift options available today are not highly allergenic because of their low exposure to outside elements and their general lack of proliferation abilities.
In other words, many flowers that go on to become gifts are grown in labs or in closely monitored fields and so don't end up with the variety of outside elements found on blooms grown in the wild.
Different floral gift options
Another advantage to giving flowers comes in the fact that they cover a broad range of gift-giving categories.
If you're going to a formal affair and you'd like to bring a suitable gift, orchids or lilies would be an appropriate selection.
If you're headed over for a simple dinner with a friend, a small bouquet of daisies is both inexpensive and easy. It conveys the right message of appreciation without letting your host or hostess fear that you went overboard.
Other occasions for flowers
Flowers can be woven into a gift for any occasion, whether it's to cheer a friend in the hospital or congratulate a newlywed couple. Flowers can be given as decorative bouquets, as individual stems, as whole plants, or flowers can be woven into gift baskets that include a plethora of other gifts.
When in doubt about the best gift to give, reach for flowers. They're bound to please, they come in a range of prices, and virtually everybody enjoys them.
