3 Steps to Master the Art of Gifting

As we jump head first into the new year, it’s always a good idea to take a minute to reflect . Reflections are necessary for growth and self-improvement, so as you settle into a new routine, write your to-do lists, and set goals for the year ahead, one question to ask yourself is “how intentional will you be with your gifting?”. 

 Perhaps gifting is not your love language, but if you happen to have someone in your life who’s love language IS gift giving, we can guarantee you that improving this skill will mean the world to them. Truth be told, your relationships, whether personal or professional, WILL improve by simply learning the do’s and don’ts of this ancient practice. There are many rules we live by when it comes to gifting, but we’ll leave this for a future blog post. In the meantime, we’ve narrowed it down to 3 simple principles that are guaranteed to help you achieve MVP gifting status: Timing, Thoughtfulness, and Presentation. 

Let’s first talk about timing. Every single thing in the universe is affected by this concept, including gifting! Timing isn’t just about remembering the birthdays and anniversaries (although you don’t want to forget these). Sometimes, a thoughtful gesture at an unexpected time, or when you know the people in your life need a pick-me-up can be the perfect timing for a gift. No matter the gifting intent, To&From has the tools to help you. Bookmarking gifts you find on To&From is a great way to remember that perfect gift when the time comes. And of course,  To and From will send you reminders of upcoming occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries along with your bookmarks and other great gift ideas. We’re always compiling fun gift lists even for the hardest to please. So sign-up for our newsletter to receive gifting-related content, and great gift ideas, directly at your fingertips.

Moving right along with our second rule: Thoughtfulness. The joy your giftee will receive from your gift is directly related to how well you know them and what gift they will love… To do so, you need to truly listen to your giftee, and catch an opportunity to fulfill a need they may have. Perhaps that means gifting them something they wouldn’t necessarily get for themselves, or purchasing a gift that’s been on their list for some time, but that they never got around acquiring, or understanding their preferences to give even the most mundane item special meaning. To&From helps with this understanding by leveraging our Gifting Intelligence – gathering small details that make all of the difference when choosing the perfect gift.

Finally, the presentation of your gift, and context in which you give it acts as a sort of bouquet final of the gifting process. Now that you’ve hit the mark on thoughtfully selecting your gift, you’ve got to give it in a thoughtful fashion, so as for the effort in your gift to not go unnoticed. Start by really thinking about both how and when you will present your gift. Perhaps you’re going to opt for getting your present professionally wrapped, or to wrap it yourself. If you’re going with the latter, we recommend adding a personalized touch to the wrapping itself – a photo, a card with a touching sentiment or a small token that accents the wrapping in a way that says “I really care”. For your eco-warrior friends, opting for reusable gift wraps or finding things around the house (i.e. bandanas, newspaper…) to wrap your gift in won’t go unnoticed. Finally, think about the time and place in which you give your gift. A birthday party may be too crowded of a place to hand out your carefully selected gift, so instead giving your gift over brunch or even coffee when it’s just the two of you, would be more impactful. Or drop the gift at your loved ones’ home so they can be surprised by both you and the gift.

We hope we’ve been of help, and that these lessons will help you achieve your best gifting self for the year ahead, and years to come. As with all things in life, practice makes perfect. Here are some great ideas to kick the year off right.