Gift-giving Tips I've Learnt from Mum

“What should we get? What do they even like? Will they like this one?” It’s these types of questions that often plague my parents whenever it is someone's birthday or anniversary. They don’t know what to get them, and they often tell me that their mind is blank with no ideas. But it’s not like my parents don’t know them - they might have known them for years. It’s just that this person never talks about what they want. It’s at times like these that you wonder: are these people minimalists, do they just not like these types of things? Yet my parents have now learned that it does not really matter.

To get the perfect gift for anyone who is no longer a stranger to me, I just need to find something that follows these categories. My parents would normally get them some flowers (if they are not allergic) and a box of cookies. They may also get them a bottle of wine or some other type of food they like. This obviously isn’t of significance for me, but they like it, which is all that really matters. Though these gifts are only for adults, they are really precious things that can make a person’s day. So, when buying a gift for someone, I have come to the conclusion that - whatever you are getting - you must take into consideration how old they are. The preferences of a 90 year old and 16 year old vary greatly: would a 16 year old want to drink wine that you got for a middle aged person? Would that be legal? What you want to get is most likely something that will make them smile. It could be simple and sentimental, or big and boisterous. It doesn’t matter - so long as you know that the receiver feels grateful for your sentimental offering.