Overcome Gift-Giving Indecision With These Simple Solutions
Do you suffer from gift-giving indecision? 'Gift-giving indecision' describes those feelings of overwhelm some people feel when trying to choose gifts for family, friends, colleagues and community members.
Often, it can feel like the people you know already have everything they need—they don’t need another present! And choosing a present for someone can be tricky… what will they love, appreciate and get long-lasting value from? Finding presents for husbands and parents can be hard enough, let alone colleagues, in-laws and friends!
Plus, there’s nothing worse than a tokenistic pressie, those last-minute gifts that get given to the people that scream ‘You’re too hard to buy for and I ran out of time…’ 😂
And unfortunately, often this type of indecision results in half-baked gifts that you sheepishly hand over, making you feel very ordinary and your giftee giving you an overly enthusiastic bear hug and mumbling an awkward ‘oh, just what I wanted...’.
So, as you wrap up your gift-giving preparation this year, we thought some tips on how to avoid the stress and anxiety of gift-giving might be helpful. Let us know in the comments if you found the tips helpful!
Why do some people find choosing and giving gifts so stressful?
Not everyone finds giving gifts stressful, but it’s important to understand that if you do, you’re not alone!
Gift-giving seasons can heighten stress in different ways for different people.
Often, people worry about the financial burden, or the fact that they simply don't have the time in the day (or perhaps the ability) to gather the gifts that they’re happy with.
For some, it’s the pressure to give gifts to every man and his dog—distant relatives, co-workers, childhood educators… this list can be never ending!
And as mentioned, it can simply be that you have no-bloody-clue what your loved ones would need, appreciate and actually use.
The Psychological Benefits of Gift-Giving
But it’s not all bad news. On the flip side, giving gifts can be really good for us, too! We know that helping others releases both dopamine and oxytocin; the pleasure and love chemicals, as well as serotonin which is the chemical that regulates and stabilises our mood.
These chemicals help us to bond with each other in a gift exchange, and they also just make us feel happier, more focused, and more empathetic!
If You're Experiencing Gift-Giving Indecision, Try These Tips.
To receive those benefits we've just discussed, however, we need to get a few things right when gifting.
Sourcing the gifts needs to be as joyful a process as possible, our gifts need to be well received, and we need to genuinely feel like we’ve made a difference to both someone’s day, and also their life, when they use the gift.
So, here are three tips to help you kick a pressie home run.
#1—Keep it simple
First thing’s first—one gift per person is enough!
While gift-shopping this season, remind yourself that more gifts won’t necessarily result in a better giving experience.
In fact, studies have shown that giving kids too many gifts increases destructive behaviour, lowers self esteem and robs them of common markers of sustainable happiness like gratitude and interconnectedness. If it's happening to our kids, you'd better believe it's happening to us!
If you do want to gift a few special items, why not try a curated gift box, rather than a bulky, bloated Christmas hamper?
Gift boxes are great because they contain items with similar intention and purpose, which takes the recipient on a beautiful, cohesive journey.
As humans, our brains love a story, and curated gift boxes will allow your loved ones to instantly understand the experience they’ll have with their new gifts, like a gorgeous, pampering self-care experience, a cleansing bathroom experience, or even a cosy cabin experience.
Our gift boxes are beautifully gift wrapped, so apart from perhaps adding your own little handwritten note, it will be ready to pop under the tree upon arrival!
#2—Make sure it’s practical
Beautiful things are nice, but often they’re the first things to end up in the cupboard or in an Op Shop a few months after they’ve been gifted.
The trick is to find gifts that are pretty and useful by thinking about the deeper value of the item.
Take a candle, for instance. Candles are pretty (well, ours are!!) and they smell nice. But they’re also a ticket to rejuvenation for a busy, overworked mum, or a way for a teenager struggling with anxiety to tune back into their body, to find peace by connecting with the senses.
Or a durable, waterproof-backed picnic blanket. Stylish picnic essentials unlock the outdoors for those who otherwise might have stayed inside. Think that city-slicker nephew who wants to be more adventurous but doesn’t know where to start. Or that new mum who’s struggling to get outside with her bub but desperately needs the sunshine.
So when you’re choosing your gifts, consider the challenges, frustrations or problems that you can solve in people’s lives, through gifting.
#3—Think about the bigger picture and shop consciously
And lastly, think about the bigger picture when you’re gifting by trying to be more conscious of your purchases.
Not only will you feel better about the gift, the recipient will too.
Shopping consciously means asking yourself these four important questions:
- Do I really want to buy this?
- What will happen to this item at the end of its life?
- Is this product high quality?
- Will purchasing this product support people and communities?
That way, you can be sure that regardless of whether or not you get it right when it comes to choosing a gift that your loved one actually likes and can use, at least you will have circulated your money ethically and consciously.
Best of Luck With Your Gift-Giving ✨
So, now that you’re equipped to have a stress-free gifting experience, feel free to browse through our online store and find yourself some gorgeous gifts while also supporting our Australian-owned, Victoria-based business.
Image credit:
Image 1 + 3: Tim Bean Photography X Belinda Neame
Image 2, 4 + 6: Hannah Puechmarin X Albert & Grace
Image 5: Ange Maloney
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