How to Avoid the Four Main Faux Pas of Present Purchasing

Giving someone a gift is a meaningful way to show you care.

However, if done incorrectly, it can make a lasting impression that will haunt you for years to come!  Gift giving can be both exciting and stressful.  Choosing a gift that is personal but not too personal, culturally sensitive, timely, and appropriate are all things you need to consider before putting the bow on and handing it over.

If there is a gift-giving holiday or occasion coming up that has you a bit nervous, then you have stumbled upon the right article.  Read on for tips on how to avoid the main faux pas of present purchasing.

 

1)      Don’t Follow the Herd

If everyone seems to be gifting the latest tech trend, have the courage to forge your own path.  Being a good gift-giver often means choosing presents that are unique, personalized and one-of-a-kind.  When buying for your male friends, colleagues or family members, there is a great selection of quirky gifts for men online that will be sure to get a giggle and spot in the memory bank.

 

2)     Avoid the Regift

So, when you receive a gift that you only kind of like or that you may have already, it is oh so tempting to re-wrap it and pass it along.  I get it.  The regift seems like the perfect solution if you have forgotten to buy a gift, or if you want to offload something that has been lingering around your place for far too long.

I have three words of advice: Don’t Do It!  It is too big of a risk that the original gift giver will find out, and your gift giving for the years to come will be tainted with this one terrible decision!

 

3)     Not For You

Hey, guess what, the gift you buy is not for you.  If you find yourself getting a twinge of retail therapy from gift buying for others, you may be crossing the line into dangerous territory.  It is all too tempting to buy things that make you happy.  While gift shopping for others, remember to keep the recipient at the forefront of your mind and let your decisions be guided by their likes, not yours.

 

4)     Buy One Get One Free!

While this seems like the ultimate win-win, it is far from that.  If you buy your best friend a sweatshirt and happen to get one for yourself too because of the two-for-one deal, you are bound to look like a real idiot.  If you show up to a BBQ wearing the same sweatshirt you will have some serious explaining to do.  Avoid this awkward situation by steering clear of that alluring two for one sign.

 

5)      Avoid the Overly Practical

So, you overheard your wife saying the blender isn’t working as well as it used to be.  That is NOT an open invitation to get her a new blender for Valentine’s Day.  Avoid purchasing gifts that are overly practical.  These are items that someone would normally purchase for themselves, so getting it from you will make it neither special or memorable.

 

Unfortunately, gift giving is a ritual that you pretty much can’t escape. Christmas, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day…..the list never ends!  Getting proficient and efficient at gift giving will save you a lot of time and stress all year long.  If gift giving is an activity that gives you a headache, then hopefully these simple five ways to avoid doing the wrong thing will help steer you in the right direction!