How to Give a Perfect Gift this Mother’s Day
Have you started thinking about what you’re going to give your Mom on Mother’s Day?
Do you give the same gift every year (or something similar) or do you try to find something unique and different every time?
Mother’s Day is on Sunday, 13th May so you still have plenty of time. If you do nothing else but read this guest post, you’ll be ready to go out and find that perfect something to make your Mom feel as special as she truly is.
Spoiler Alert:
Don’t miss the stunning, detailed infographic that accompanies this fabulous guest post by Gwen Lewis.
The Complete Guide to Gift Giving Etiquette
Not too long ago, I found myself standing impatiently in the checkout line of a local convenience store holding a handful of odd objects waiting to purchase lottery tickets.
Clutched in my gloved hands were, as follows:
- two bottles of cheap wine
- 4 chocolate bars
- a couple of restaurant gift cards
- a travel sized reading light
- an emergency car kit
- 3 packages of off-brand silly putty
- a box of doughnuts and a
- small pouch of ibuprofen.
It was an eclectic assortment and my head was pounding, but it was the 23rd of December and I was supposed to be home preparing for company and a family celebration. Yet, here I was with less than two hours to arrival time and I was doing my last minute gift shopping at the gas station on my way home from the grocery store.
I would like to say that this was an isolated incident. You know, a one-time thing or I had a really good excuse for my terrible gifts like an illness in the family or bad weather kept me from shopping. However, I only had myself to blame.
This sort of thing happens to me a lot. For some reason, I am terrible at giving gifts.
And, I am not alone.
For many of us, gift giving is a dreaded affair. We really do want to find the perfect gift, wrap it beautifully, and present it in a special manner for the recipient. However, no matter our intentions, giving gifts paralyzes us with fear or we find that we make really bad decisions under this kind of stress.
Suddenly, we are caught up debating if we need to bring gifts to events if it is too expensive, or not sentimental enough.
Our minds begin sending us mixed messages and soon, too much time has passed and we find ourselves buying last minute gifts in the worst place possible: the gas station.
Whether we are celebrating a special event, holiday, or “just because”, giving gifts is the perfect opportunity for us to build bonds and fond memories.
Unfortunately, for many of us, we aren’t born with an innate gift-giving etiquette and we find ourselves stumped when it comes to searching for the perfect gift.
For example, a meaningful bouquet of Spring flowers or a hard to find a vinyl album of their favourite band can make a person feel cherished and special for days to come. For some odd reason, a handful of lottery tickets just doesn’t accomplish the same thing.
Thankfully, there is hope for the gift giving challenged. For more information and gift giving tips, please scroll through the following Complete Guide to Gift Giving Etiquette:
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/krm-ig/CompleteGiftGivingEtiquetteGuide.png
About the Author
Gwen Lewis is a writer who lives in California. She has been in the fashion and health industry for years and loves writing on the topic to give tips from experience. In her free time, she loves to stay active and has just taken on learning how to surf.
You can find more of Gwen’s posts on Medium.
Are you ready to go out and find a perfect gift for your Mom for this Mother’s Day?
What are the best gifts you’ve ever given or received on Mother’s Day?
Share your favourite story in the comments below.
Thank you for the gift giving guide. I am hopeless at gifts never knowing what to get and when I’ve got it wrong the look on the persons face, devestating because I thought I had put a lot of thought into it. Buying for my family is a breeze because they know my financial situation and don’t expect the moon but buying for friends is really hard. Thank you for the gift giving guide
Hi Mary, aah, I feel for you. Its tricky sometimes finding that perfect gift on a small budget. However, if they are true friends, the fact that you’ve taken the time and energy to put thought into their gift should be all that matters.
I had this dilemma before as well, but just recently, I developed a habit of asking the person what he/she wants as a present, then go buy it if I can. Although there’s no element of surprise, it’s practical. Plus, in this way, I save a lot of time. : ) I believe that the best gift is just being there when people we care about need us amidst being busy, it’s long-term and more precious.
Aah, Thank You for these beautiful words, King Kong’s Girl. You are so right, our presence is way more important than our presents to the people we love.
And I agree, asking a person what they want can really work. I’ve found my Hubby and Dad are especially fond of practical gifts.
Another trick I used recently when giving to a girlfriend was to consider what they gave me and give them something similar, with their sense of style in mind.
Hello. Thank you for this information. I can relate to the last minute shopping, only my go to place ends up being a dollar store on my way to the party or event. That’s just sad. Lol. I am working on this. The guide is an awesome tool to have. Thank you
Hi Patrice, haha, you are not alone there. I also related to Gwen’s story and am also super grateful to have her Gift Giving Guide to help me figure things out and be more prepared.