‘Tis the season for giving and you might already have some great ideas for gifts for all your friends and family (at least those who get a present) but you’re not quite ready to pull the trigger on all of them just yet. If that’s the case, let’s slow down a little bit and make sure that you’re not making some of the common mistakes that plague the annual gift-giving.

Double-check sizes when buying clothes

There’s nothing wrong with buying a gorgeous outfit or piece of clothing when you’re sure that it fits their style. However, if you’re not sure that it also fits their body, you should be wary. Do a little snooping to confirm their clothing size, shoe size, ring size before getting them any such gifts and save yourself the hassle of helping them return or resize it.

Don’t be too utilitarian with your gift

Sure, your loved one might genuinely want a handheld vacuum cleaner and might have been talking about it for months, but they are likely to be a little disappointed when that’s they unwrap on the big day. Holiday gifts should be more about speaking to their desires, not helping with their daily needs, so be careful when it comes to these types of gifts.

Don’t make them buy something to make their gift work

As the famous line in Wayne’s World goes: “I don’t even own a gun, let alone many guns that would necessitate an entire rack.” You don’t want to buy people a gift that they then have to buy other things to make work. Normally, it’s not quite that dramatic, but just make sure you buy poster sized frames if you’re gifting someone a gorgeous poster. Similarly, if you’re buying anything that requires batteries, pack them with some spares.

Make sure your gift matches their morals

You should make sure you’re not accidentally gifting your loved one something that goes against ethics and morals they might have about their consumption or efficiency habits. For instance, a leather wallet is not a good idea for a vegan. Similarly, if they’re trying to have a more sustainable Christmas, then consider a gift that isn’t going to contribute a lot of waste, when possible.

Keep the receipts

It might be a habit of yours to simply chuck out the receipts of the things that you buy but, when it comes to gifts, it’s a good idea to keep them just in case. You never know why a gift choice might not work out. It might be a matter of the wrong sizing, or perhaps they already have it. Whatever the case may be, getting rid of the receipt too early can simply result in them having to keep a gift that they have no place, want, or need for.

The mistakes featured are not going to be the end of the world, strictly speaking. However, they can put a little bit of a dampener on an otherwise great gift, so keep the tips above in mind and avoid them.

Categories: Me

Vicky Charles

Vicky is a single mother, writer and card reader.

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