The holidays are almost on the nose, and those who celebrate Christmas have very little time left to buy gifts for their loved ones.

Someone curses himself for not ordering gifts in advance, and some still continue to choose among thousands of options. In any case, the holiday season is getting more expensive and stressful.

Follow a few rules and see for yourself that a gift can actually be a simple and pleasant gesture, and not a real headache.

Handmade

There is nothing better than homemade treats and greeting card carefully crafted by hand.

On Pinterest, you'll find plenty of simple gift ideas that you can make or make yourself.

Granola, bread, biscuits and all kinds of jams can be easy, quick and inexpensive, not to mention that they will be clearly healthier than store-bought ones.

If you feel strong in yourself, arm yourself with knitting needles or crochet. A scarf, mittens or warm socks will be a great winter gift for your loved ones.

Good book

I confess that I will be the first to jump for joy if I receive a book as a gift.

Even though I prefer serious and inspiring books, fantasy also comes in handy.

Source: iStock

This year I am giving away three books that I myself love. I'm looking forward to giving them to my friends.

You can also find a book that talks about someone's special hobbies or interests. They will certainly appreciate the thoughtful gesture.

Donations

Although not as popular as they might be, donations made in someone's name can be a wonderful act of Christmas giving.

Many of us have more than we need. A donation to those who are less fortunate in this life costs more than another purchased gadget that will not change anything in someone's life.

Perhaps you will donate money to protect the rainforest. Or help children from third world countries.

Count your blessings and see if you can resist the urge to waste money on trinkets when there is so much suffering in the world.

Tribute to traditions

Many families have a tradition of Christmas costumes and pajamas, socks or Christmas decorations. The gift doesn't have to be big!

When I talk to my patients about Christmas traditions, most of them look forward to a gift from their grandmother - traditional pajamas to walk around in them all Christmas morning.

Nobody usually mentions things like phones and other gadgets.

This holiday season, focus on what really matters. Express your love and gratitude to family and friends.

Adapted from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/millennial-media/201712/4-rules-simple-holiday-gift-giving

By the holidays, sociologists revised Jeff Galak, Julian Givi, Elanor F. Williams. Why Certain Gifts Are Great to Give but Not to Get decades of research on giving and receiving gifts. The results showed that there is one mistake that people make when choosing a present most often.

This single misunderstanding stems from at least seven discrepancies between expectations and reality. They can be corrected, and then the recipient will not have to pretend that he likes the gift: he will be truly happy.

The work "Why certain gifts are great to give, but not to receive" by Jeff Galak (Jeff Galak) from Carnegie Mellon University shows that givers usually concentrate on the very moment of giving, they want to surprise with a surprise, impress, pick up what they think suitable only for the recipient.

The problem is that the gifted is important to a completely different thing. And this is more than just a spectacular appearance of a gift from a box. Important practical use, the use of the gift during its entire service life.

Here are some examples of mismatches between expectation and reality that you can keep in mind and make your gift more desirable.

- 1 -

Instead of gifting material things like gadgets and clothes, give the person a new experience or pastime, like gift Certificate to a restaurant or tickets to a sports game.

- 2 -

When buying a gift, we believe that it should bring immediate satisfaction, and we rarely think about whether it will be used in the future. For example, we would rather give a bouquet of blooming flowers, as it looks beautiful and bright. We ourselves would prefer to receive flowers that have not yet opened, so that they please us longer.

- 3 -

It seems to us that the longer we think about the gift, the more pleasant it will be, but, of course, this is not so.

- 4 -

If the recipient has a wish list, then it's best to stick to it rather than trying to impress with something incredible. It seems to the giver that the wish list is too obvious and it is better to somehow surprise with a gift. But the recipient, most likely, will be more delighted with the option from his list.

- 5 -

An expensive gift seems better, but people don't appreciate the value of a gift by its price. A thing can be expensive and useless.

- 6 -

People love to give gifts that show how well they know the person. For example, a gift card from your favorite store. But it is better to give something more universal.

- 7 -

It does not always make sense to give a gift if it is difficult to use or requires additional equipment, even if the item is of very high quality. Buy something simpler, albeit less solid.

Love to receive gifts? What about giving? What about choosing? For most people, the process of choosing gifts is a rather painful procedure, especially if you want to give something really necessary, useful, with meaning, and not get off with a cute trinket. How often a gift turns out to be unnecessary and remains gathering dust somewhere on a shelf in a closet, or even completely re-gifted - and all this is a consequence of the inattention of the giver, his ignorance of the elementary rules for choosing gifts.

Nevertheless, the gift industry is currently so well developed that it’s simply a sin if you don’t give a person what he has always dreamed of, then at least something that he sincerely rejoices at. How to choose the right gift?

7 tips for choosing a gift

1. Learn about the person's hobbies. According to his hobby, you can choose the right gift. Give a houseplant to a florist, an encyclopedia to a book lover, backgammon to a board game lover self made, a collector of spirits - a mini-bar.

2. Gifts related to a person's profession. Choosing the right gift will help not only a hobby, but also a person’s profession. Surely a businessman will not refuse a good organizer, a programmer will not refuse a new useful gadget, and an alarm clock in the form of a soccer ball will become “native” for a football player.

3. Gift in character. The character of a person is also an important criterion, focusing on which you can choose the right gift. For a person with good feeling humor will do cool gifts- Fortunately, in our time there are a great many of them for every taste. For an extreme person, you can give a parachute jump or a hang glider flight, diving under water or bungee descent.

4. A gift associated with events in life. Has the hero of the occasion recently had a baby? You can choose a gift in the form of a baby monitor or a sling. Birthday boy - newcomer? Then he will rejoice at household items, amulets for the house, dishes. Are you going to visit a person who has gone through a difficult period in his life? Give him something to lift his spirits.

5. Reason for celebration. A gift can be of a nature exclusively for a particular holiday and will remind you of it for many years. But here, be original and do not stop at cufflinks on February 23 or a vase on March 8. You need to choose a gift that is not expected from you, which will surprise and rejoice.

6. You can just inquire that the hero of the occasion would like to see as a gift, from himself or his relatives. Believe me, a well-known, but necessary gift is a hundred times better than a useless surprise.

7. If you decide donate money approach this question in a non-standard way. The fact that money has not been given in ordinary envelopes for a long time is out of the question - there are special postcards-envelopes for this. You can also issue Money Tree or give a piggy bank with a paper bill in it.

Be careful when purchasing the following items as a gift:

1. Interior items, home decor (vases, indoor fountains, paintings, etc.) Such a gift may simply not "fit" into the overall atmosphere of the house or not to your taste.

2. Clothes - here it is easy not to guess with the model, size and color.

3. Pets - unless you are sure that the hero of the occasion is dreaming of a parrot or a cat.

4. Cosmetics, perfume - unless you know for sure that the person for whom you want to choose a gift uses this particular lipstick and exactly the same perfume.

5. home appliances - characteristics may simply not fit, and this will be doubly offensive to both you and the hero of the occasion, because the goods of this group are not cheap.

Do not use as a gift:

1. Gifts related in any way to a person's shortcomings . Roughly speaking, if the hero of the occasion has a bald head, you do not need to give him a remedy for hair loss. Do not remind about the bad on the day of the holiday!

2. Gifts for the future ("I'm sure you'll need it someday!")

3. Items from your home , even ones you've never (or almost never) used. Firstly, it is unethical, and secondly, the birthday person could notice this thing in your home and be offended by receiving such a gift.

4. Things with marriage - even if you noticed it after the purchase (keep this item for yourself and buy something else).

5. What is already there at the hero of the occasion.

By approaching the process of choosing gifts creatively, devoting a sufficient amount of time to it, you will surely choose exactly the option that will please the hero of the occasion, and receive the phrase “This is exactly what I dreamed of!”

How to choose the right gift for your loved ones? We face this issue every time before the holidays. How often were we given gifts that we re-gifted or that simply gathered dust on the shelves so as not to offend anyone? In order not to give another unnecessary gift, we have selected a few tips for you.

How to choose a gift, what to look for

1. habits and character.
   Before you start choosing a gift, remember the habits of the person to whom it is intended. For example, if this is a housewife, then most likely she will be pleased with the new kitchen sets; if this is a sports person, then you can give a fitness bracelet or new sneakers. Depending on the character, you can choose a color. For example, active are more suitable bright colors- orange, red, etc.; calm closer neutrals - gray, beige, blue ...
2. Hobby.
   Undoubtedly a good gift there will be one that relates to the hobbies of a person. If, for example, he is fond of fishing, then you can give a fishing rod, if he is a collector, then something in his collection. As a result, such a gift will cheer up and please the hero of the occasion.
3. Profession.
   gifts for professional growth very motivating people. Here you can build on what a person is currently using, and what can increase his status, or distinguish him from his colleagues. It can be as a souvenir on the table, an expensive pen for office workers, or a brand new stethoscope for a doctor.
4. Gender and age.
   Many people think that a gift for a woman should be chosen much more carefully than a gift for men. they are indifferent to gifts - this is not true. Any man rejoices at a gift or is disappointed in it. Only shows his emotions more restrained than a woman. There is one rule for both women and men: a gift must be given one that only he, and not the whole family, will use. For example, a woman will not be delighted with a birthday present in the form of a vacuum cleaner or a food processor, and a man who flies on vacation to warm countries will not be happy with a sleeping bag or tent. And of course, a gift for a young girl should be different from a gift for mom or grandmother.
5. Originality.
   Do not give incomprehensible health books, how to quit smoking, or decor items such as figurines or souvenirs that will simply gather dust on the shelves. Also, the photos in the frame are not the most original gift. Originality does not mean banality. One of the most important selection rules interesting gifts, this is the one that will bring joy for a long time.
6. Events in life.
   Did the birthday boy have a baby recently? A baby monitor or playpen will do. If he is a newcomer, then the best gift there will be household items, repair tools, a microwave, dishes. It also happens that he has recently gone through a difficult period in his life, you can give something fun that will cheer him up.
7. Holiday.
   Of course, a gift can be given for a certain holiday, but do not forget about originality! No need to give socks or shaving foam by February 23, as well as vases by March 8. Therefore, you need to choose a gift that is not expected from you, which will surprise and rejoice.

Don't know what to give?

8. Ask directly.
You can ask directly from the hero of the occasion what he wants, but there are many disadvantages here:

1. Firstly, many are waiting not for gifts themselves, but for surprises! Something that they will be pleasantly surprised and delighted with, not knowing in advance what they will already be presented with.
2. Secondly, this can cause embarrassment for the birthday person, because. he will hope that you know him well and understand what he needs. Perhaps it is from you that he does not expect to hear the question: “What to give you?”.
3. Thirdly, the same question can drive you to a standstill if the cost of the desired gift is much higher than the allocated budget. In this case, an unpleasant aftertaste may remain, which you do not need.

9. Money.
In our rhythm of life and its speed, a lot is changing. Places of work, social circle, place of residence. People often move, change their social circle, and if you want the memory of you to remain, you need to give something worthwhile. In addition, they do not give money for one more reason - so as not to offend a person. Money most often means that you were too lazy to "worry" with a gift or simply did not want to spend time on it, because it's easier to "pay off". If this is not a wedding gift for newlyweds, then it is better not to give money.

10. Gifts You Can Give, But Be Careful

It is dangerous to give clothes as gifts. you can not guess with taste, fashion or size. Little kids will never appreciate the most expensive suit or designer dress. they expect toys in gifts and can be very upset if instead of a doll or car there is a cool suit with a tie. Never give gifts for the future, in the hope that someday they will come in handy. When donating household appliances, you need to find out in advance the necessary characteristics and sizes, what if the appliances do not fit? Never re-gift gifts or give something from your home.

The conclusion is simple

If you want to hear in response to a gift that this is exactly what you dreamed about, then you need very little for this. Do not buy a gift on the run, choose the time for this, but it is better to choose a few days before the event. Approach the choice of a gift creatively, with all your heart, and you will definitely find the most suitable gift, exactly the one that will delight and delight the birthday person.

Don't know how to choose a gift? We can offer you to order a unique gift - a picture of your voice. Thanks to the painting, voices can be heard and seen on canvas or photographic paper. The sound will be a voice, laughter, a favorite song or other sound. The layout is up to you. The visualization of the sound wave is used as the image in the picture.

It will be creative original gift for many years!)

13 chose

The closer New Year, the more actively we look for gifts for friends and relatives. And what should bring joy often becomes a source of stress. After all, you really want to guess with a gift: choose something that will definitely please a person. And how nice to see sincere joy on the face of the recipient! But, unfortunately, this is not always possible. Perhaps because when choosing gifts, we make one of the most common mistakes.

excuse gift

A gift bought on the way to the holiday, or one that you didn’t think about at all when you grabbed the first thing that came across in the store, is not really a gift. In fact, it's more of an excuse. An empty formality that usually does not bring any joy. And if so, why give it at all?

Thinking over and choosing a gift, we put a piece of our soul into it. And that's what makes it special.

Gift for yourself

"What a cool thing! It will great gift!" How nice it is when we are visited by such thoughts in the store. But think for a moment - for whom it will be a great gift? Maybe for you?

Very often we choose gifts that we ourselves like, and do not think about how the recipients will react to them. Lover of cute soft toys gives them to everyone in a row, and the happy recipients then puzzle over what to do with all these "dust collectors". Extreme enthusiast enthusiastically hands a friend a coupon for a parachute jump, plunging him into real horror. And I, for example, would gladly give pets to others. Only with my mind I understand well that such gifts will please few people, but they will cause inconvenience to many.

hint gift

Sometimes we, out of good intentions, try to give a person something that we think he lacks. Is visiting a friend rarely cleaned? We'll give you a miracle mop! Sleepy sister will get an alarm clock from us, disorganized younger brother- an organizer, and an overweight girlfriend - a gym membership. Now we can be calm: everyone was made happy!

Do not flatter yourself: it will not be possible to change a person with one gift. So your gifts, most likely, will lie in a distant closet for unnecessary things. In addition, these are hint gifts that point people to their weaknesses. Not only will they not bring joy, but they can offend.

Joke gift

"A person needs to be given something that he himself will never buy" says folk wisdom. It can be continued: "So here's a roll of barbed wire, fleece pants, and a textbook on punched card programming."

It seems to me that my husband's college friends were seriously guided by this principle for a long time. Year after year they gave each other some utter nonsense. The main thing for them was not a gift, but the humorous effect that it produces. I admit, the first couple of years it was really funny. But then the old joke starts to get boring. Moreover, the closet for unnecessary things is not rubber.

cheap expensive gift

We are generous and generous people. And often we want to give some grandiose gift that does not fit into our budget. And then we find a way out - we give something worthwhile (for example, a smartphone), but we choose the cheapest option available. But this is also not the best idea, especially if we are talking about technology. After all, the price often speaks of reliability. So maybe you should think about more a simple gift but quality?

The right gift

You know that a person plans to buy himself, say, a tablet. And, being proactive, give this gadget. Ideal option, right?

Unfortunately, not always. When a person plans to buy something for himself, he usually understands very well what exactly he needs, chooses the company, model and even the color of this product. And when he is unexpectedly given something similar (but not exactly the same), this can cause frustration. The person is in a stupid position. On the one hand, now it makes no sense for him to buy what he dreamed of, because a similar gadget already exists. On the other hand, his dream, strictly speaking, never came true.