5 Tips On Giving & Receiving Gifts

Some of you may take what I have to say about giving and receiving gifts as rude or offensive. I don't mean to be, I only mean to be honest and I really feel these things need to be said.

1) IT'S ABOUT THEM, NOT YOU.

Don't buy something that you want the person to have. It's not about you and your wants, it's about theirs. Sure, there are times where you might think of something that they would really like and they end up being actually very surprised and grateful. You also might know the person's personality and tastes well enough to buy certain things, and that's great! Just be sure not to gift them something with the same theme every time. It's easy to grow tired of things that way.

I have seen too many people give gifts for their own pleasure and it's honestly annoying. If you know she wanted the blue one, don't buy the red one because you think it'll look better. Buy the product that he researched not the one that you believe to be better.

2) INCLUDE A GIFT RECEIPT

It makes exchanges or returns (I'll get to that in a minute) much easier. Try not to be offended if the person returns their item for something different. Wouldn't you rather them have something they like and/or could use?

3) GIFT REGISTRIES ARE MADE FOR A REASON

If the person you are buying for is expecting a baby, getting married or just purchased a home and registered for gifts at different department stores, use it! If there is nothing on the list within your price range you can always purchase a gift card instead.

I have witnessed a couple of times before the receiver being disappointed and somewhat stressed that the the majority of the gifts they received weren't from the registry. It leaves the person/people with more to worry about and they are more likely to have stuff they won't use and will most likely exchange/return it anyways.

4) ALWAYS SAY "THANK YOU" EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT

The giver might have really messed up or completely embarrassed you but they still went out of their way to pick something up for you. You don't have to put on a show and act like you love it but definitely be polite! Also, if you're doing "Thank You" cards, don't wait too long to send them out. After the party is over this should be on your priorities list!

5) DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO KEEP THE GIFT

This is a tough one for a lot of people. Especially if you're real close to the person who bought for you. In some cases you might decide to keep it because you just can't bare whatever guilt you might have. That's understandable. In other cases you're going to say: "I will literally never use this." or "I don't like it and will never have it displayed anywhere in my home.". You're not obligated to keep it. You can exchange it for something different and if the person questions how you like it (I know you know this happens) you will just need to be kind but honest and explain why it didn't work out.

Can you relate to any of these scenarios? Did these tips help you? Let me know what your thoughts are on giving and receiving.