Gifting is a hard task for most people, but it doesn’t have to be. How can you get a perfect present for someone? Well, the trick is to change your fundamental understanding of giving presents from being an act of exchanging physical items to being an act of communication and emotional engagement. Forget about price tags and prestige and instead focus on what the receiver will feel after receiving your present.

When you give your partner a quote necklace for her birthday, for example, what message would you want that gift to communicate to her? Will the receiver understand what you mean to communicate to them through the present? You will never get it wrong with your present after that. If you wish to perfect your gift-giving abilities, these 8 secrets for the perfect present will help:

Secrets Behind The Perfect Gift

1. Have a list

There are many presents that would impress the person you want to give to; things they love or need. List them all down and then eliminate one by one until you are left with the most ideal present. How do you know which items to include in the list? If you live or work with the gift receiver, they will subconsciously drop hints about what presents they may want for given special occasions. Keep an ear in. You can also ask them what it is they would want as presents without being too straightforward with them. The idea here is to capture what they want or need, not what you think is “perfect” for them.

2. Weigh need vs. want

On the one hand, if you give someone a present they need, you will be sure that you’ve solved a need they have in life. They might not admit it yet, but you can bet that they will keep and use it. You cannot, however, count on the receiver being excited by the present.

On the other hand, if you give someone something they want, you cannot be sure they will keep it, but you can bet that the receiver will be thrilled upon opening it up. Maybe they will realize after a short stint that they didn’t really need that gift, so they might re-gift it or throw it in the dumpster.  In short, their happiness might be very short-lived. Would you want that?

3. Capture their style

What’s their style? Which décor items do they keep in their home? What kind of jewelry do they wear? Which houseplants do they keep? Ensure that their style is reflected in the present you shop for. Having a knack for jewelry styling yourself can be really useful in this scenario.

4. And a bit of your style

Include a little bit of yourself in the gift so that the receiver can see you in the gift every time they look at it. Make it personal for them, but with something that probably has a special meaning to both of you.

5. Speak to their hobbies

Which instrument do they like to play? Which video games do they like? Do they love to cook? Do they sing? Do they knit? Point is, be guided by their hobbies and passion when shopping for their present.

6. Consider the event

What kind of special event are we talking about? Is it an anniversary, birthday, housewarming, or promotion? Choose a gift that befits the occasion. You could consider a birthstone for a birthday, for example, or a new briefcase for a graduation event.

7. Don’t shop hastily

Last-minute gifts are mostly generic and boring because they are rarely thought through. Ensure that you take your time shopping for the right present, and ensure that you have it in your possession at least a week to the occasion. Well, unless it is perishable. If you are ordering online, make your orders at least a month early just in case of shipping delays.

8. Consider the receiver’s health

Is your present good for your receiver’s health or the health of the people close to them? It would be insensitive to, for example, gift flowers to a hay fever sufferer or expensive wine to a drunkard.

Conclusion

Most people are terrible at giving presents, so you should not beat yourself up for not knowing what to give to whom and when. The important thing is that you are making efforts to come up with good gift ideas instead of being ashamed. Keep searching for the perfect present; don’t give up yet. You will get to it eventually.