The Etiquette Of Gift-Giving

Posted by Tom Clark on April 18th, 2023

Giving gifts is a great thing to do for many different reasons. It makes you feel good, it makes the recipient happy, and it’s tradition. However, as fun as it is to give gifts, it’s just as important to consider the etiquette of gift-giving itself. The last thing you want to do is make people feel uncomfortable or for the gift to go unnoticed. Read on for some useful tips to ensure your gift-giving etiquette is just as good as the gifts themselves.

Consider The Occasion

When it comes to the etiquette of gift-giving, the first thing to think about is the occasion itself. That’s because the gift must be appropriate for that particular occasion. If you’re attending a christening, choosing lovely christening gifts makes sense, and these gifts are usually ones that are sentimental and can be kept as beautiful keepsakes. For a birthday, however, you might choose something silly or funny (although sentimental works just as well). It really depends on your relationship with the person you’re buying for; the more you know them, the easier it is to consider the occasion and their personalities and combine the two ideas.

Before you start looking for gifts, think about what the occasion is and why you’re buying a gift. You’ll then find it easier to narrow things down and find the ideal present that will be most appreciated.

Think About Your Budget

Another aspect of gift-giving etiquette is to think about your budget. Ideally, you should never give a present that is too cheap, but neither should you give one that is too expensive. It can be hard to balance this idea, especially if your budget is either very large or quite small, but it’s important to try to strike a good middle ground.

The reason that this budget balance is important is that a cheap present might be more prone to breaking quickly. However, an expensive present can make the recipient feel guilty if they only got you a small, cheaper gift in return or feel uncomfortable about not being able to reciprocate in the same way. An expensive gift becomes more about showing how wealthy you are as opposed to giving a gift because you think the recipient would like it.

Remember sometimes a cheap present can be a highly thoughtful one if there is meaning behind it, so don’t get too stressed about this idea. So long as you know the person receiving it will love it, it is the right choice, but it comes to each unique receiver.

Personalize The Gift

Whenever you give a gift, it’s a great idea to personalize it in some way. You might literally do this by having the gift engraved with a name, for example. However, there are other ways to personalize a gift, including the choice of the gift itself. It might be something that reminds you (and therefore will remind the recipient) of a good memory the two of you have, for example. Alternatively, you can choose a gift that links to a particular like or hobby the recipient has.

At the very least, you should always include a handwritten card with the gift. This can give it the personal touch you are looking for, and it’s something that shows you have put some thought into what you are giving.