Since each person has a different character, likes, and dislikes, it can be hard to find the right birthday gift for them that will make their day.
But don’t worry, as we’ll be listing some useful tips and tricks for finding the best birthday present.
Along the way, we will also answer common questions regarding proper gift-giving.
What should I get someone for their birthday?
There is no rule as to what gift to give someone on their birthday. Most people give a gift that will make their recipient feel joyful and special.
Below are some great gift ideas for a person having their birthday soon:
- A handmade card
- Homemade cookies or brownies
- A custom photo puzzle
- A custom bottle opener
- An artful poster
- A DIY lavender soap
- A spa or pamper gift basket
- A digital music playlist
- Glowing friendship bracelets
- A classic Nintendo console
How do I pick a present for my best friend?
You can buy or create a thoughtful gift that shows how much you appreciate your best friend. The more personalized the gift, the more special it will be.
Or you can also treat them to an event such as a concert, comic convention, or dinner at a seafood restaurant. It will certainly be more fun for both of you to come.
Concerning gifts to avoid, we suggest not giving them underwear since it is personal and can make your friend feel awkward when they open the gift in front of people.
And, while a souvenir gift may be nice, some people don’t like to get something from a trip they didn’t go on. A pet can also be a bad idea since the person might not be ready to take care of them.
How do I pick a meaningful gift?
To find a meaningful gift, the gift-giver will need to consider the recipient and special occasion, list desirable and practical gifts to give, personalize them, and spend within a given budget.
Here are some questions you can ask to find a thoughtful gift:
- What do they like or love?
- What’s your budget?
- Do they have any allergies?
- What do or will they need?
- What special event is being celebrated?
How do I find the right birthday gift for someone?
The best gifts are usually those that have been carefully thought through and personally made. Here are a few things that help you find the right birthday gift for someone:
1) Think about the message you want to convey
You can first decide on what message you’d like to convey to your recipient. This can set you in the right direction to find a suitable gift.
For example, if you want to tell a nephew to save their money, you can perhaps give them a piggy bank with some bills inside to help them start.
2) List down things they’re interested in
Listing things that the giftee is interested in can help you discover a fun and great gift for them.
Just grab a piece of paper and pen or open your note app on your electronic device and write whatever comes to mind.
You can search Google, Pinterest, and YouTube for creative gift ideas.
3) Stay within your budget
Having come up with some gifting ideas, you will then need to set your gift budget.
As a reference, you can set different budgets depending on your relationship with the person.
A gift costing $20 to $40 can be good for a family member, $25 to $40 for a best friend, and $5 to $10 for a co-worker.
Also, capitalize on discounts. For instance, you can buy gifts on Black Friday because they will cost less.
4) Find out what they need
Before buying or making a gift for someone, it helps to consider what they need or what can help them in their daily activities.
Choosing this kind of gift—one that can fill a need—is usually a smart and practical choice. It also generally costs less and has more value than buying a gift that the person wants.
Perhaps you can gift a new phone cover to a friend after learning that theirs has become damaged lately. Or you could replace a family member’s torn plastic chair with a stylish metal one on their birthday.
You don’t need to buy an expensive gift because it’s always the thought that counts.
In this digital age, it’s very easy to know what birthday gift a person can like.
For this, you can check one of your recipient’s social media pages like Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. You can go to their Facebook profile and take a quick look at the pages they’ve liked.
If, for example, you see that the recipient posted a healthy and fresh fruit juice from a certain shop, you could get them a small box of assorted fruit juices for their special day.
It’s even a lot easier on Pinterest. On this platform, the user pins different things or places they’re interested in on their boards.
Say, there is a set of Game of Thrones keychains they pinned. Now, see if there’s a link with that post, visit it if it has one, and then buy those nifty keychains for them.
6) Ask their friend or family for ideas
If you can’t think of a good birthday gift to give, then you can ask someone who knows the giftee for suggestions.
It can be their friend, co-worker, sibling, or parent. With their help, the odds of finding the right gift could become higher.
7) Make a gift that they will like and enjoy
If you can’t seem to find the right gift in shops, you can get creative and make one!
Perhaps you can write a special song, draw a picture, make a delicious lemon pie, or curate a small gift basket, all of which can cost little to nothing.
Combining various things that you made can also make for a unique, personalized, and great gift.
8) Buy a gift with the best quality
Quality can matter when it comes to giving a physical gift.
For instance, if the recipient runs a lot and suffers from knee pain, you can choose a McDavid patella band rather than one of a generic brand.
However, if the quality gift is expensive, consider dividing the expense with a group of friends. Or you can get a smaller gift but still of good quality.
9) Give them an experience gift
A birthday gift for someone doesn’t always have to be a product, it can also be an experience. Some people value experiences more than physical gifts.
There are a host of experience gifts that can be given to a friend, sibling, or neighbor—from piano classes and wine tasting to going on a safari and skydiving.
You can check your local area to see what experiences are available to buy for your recipient. You have to pick an event and date that are good and convenient for the giftee.
10) Donate to a charity in their name
Some people already have everything they want. They want nothing more than to make the world a better place to be in.
If your giftee is like this, then donating to a charity they care about in their name could be a nice birthday gift for them.
They may care about or be advocates of animal rights, women’s reproductive rights, environmental health, education, and so on. You can donate money to these non-profit groups to help them make a bigger impact in their advocacy.
