Gifts should be a way to strengthen relationships and show the people you love how much you care about them. Unfortunately, while many of us do our best to choose the right gifts for our friends and family, it’s surprisingly easy to make the wrong choice with a present, and mess things up completely.
If you’re concerned that another bad gift from you is going to lead to a problem with your friendship, or more awkwardness during your family get-togethers, it might be time to take a more structured approach to your gift strategy.
Today, we’re going to cover some of the best things to do to ensure that no matter what kind of gift you give, you’re never going to rub someone the wrong way.
1.   Establish Boundaries for Each Relationship
Everyone has their own boundaries when it comes to giving and receiving gifts. There are people in your circle who might prefer not to get gifts at all, and people who only like to receive gifts within a certain budget, often because they can only afford to give items of the same value in return. Some people will expect gifts on every special occasion, while others will only have certain days that they celebrate.
Whenever you have an opportunity to do so, talk to your loved ones about their expectations and boundaries surrounding gifts and when to give them. Ask them what kind of days they celebrate, and how important each occasion is to them. When it comes to times when you’re going to be doing gift exchanges, think about whether certain people might want to put a restriction on the amount of money you spend, or how many gifts you give.
2.   Avoid Going Over the Top
While you might assume that everyone in your circle loves getting huge and expensive gifts for every special occasion, the opposite is often true. It’s very rare for anyone to appreciate getting a large gift completely, as many of us examine the value of the presents that we get from other people for insights into the amount we should expect to spend in return. If you go out and get someone a present that costs hundreds of pounds, they’re going to feel terrible if they can’t do the same for you.
Think about the kind of budget that people in your circle have, and whether spending more than they could afford would just make them feel bad. Additionally, remember that when you’re giving a gift, you’re sometimes sending a message about what you expect from other people. You don’t want to be perceived as greedy.
3.   Respect Requests
Some people will have specific requests when it comes to gifts. There are people in your life who prefer to ask for what they actually want, rather than asking your to guess at the items that they need. This can actually be very helpful for people who often struggle with choosing the right presents. If someone asks you for something (after checking your budget), be willing to offer them what they really need.
At the same time, remember to respect requests for other things too. For instance, if someone in your family tells you that they can’t afford to buy any presents for birthdays this year, so they don’t want to get any in return, then don’t go out and buy one as a surprise. This might seem like you’re doing something fun and spontaneous to you, but it just makes the other person feel uncomfortable and unheard.
4.   Always Say Thank You
Finally, learning how to avoid relationship issues with gift giving doesn’t just mean discovering how to give the perfect gift. It also means that you need to ensure that you’re taking steps to respond correctly to the items that you receive from other people. A good gift exchange should always feature gratitude from the person receiving the present. The last thing you want is to come across as uncaring or greedy because you don’t seem to appreciate what you get.
Even if you’re not totally happy with the present that someone gets you, the first thing you should do is always smile and say thank you. Remember that no matter what social guidelines might suggest, nobody in your social or family circle is required to buy you anything. Whenever someone gives you a present, they’re doing so because they care enough to spend their money on you. Show that you appreciate the gesture.
