5 Creative Gift Tips & Ideas for 2019
Summer is almost here! The weather is finally starting to brighten up and we're all starting to get that summer time itch to get out there and start doing things and getting together with people again. (Just like plants and animals, we become a lot less active during the cold dark season of winter until the sun and warmth of summer return, bringing our energy with it.) Now is the time of getting out and doing. It's the time of laughter and memory making. It's the time of long nights with friends and family.
A gift is the perfect way to make a lasting memory of a wonderful time with the people you care about. Gift giving is one of the 5 Love Languages (which apply to friendship as well as romantic relationships), and there's a good chance it's at (or close to) the top of the list for most of the people in your life. People love receiving gifts. So, to help you make more memories this year, we've put together this list of 5 Creative Gift Tips & Ideas for 2019.
5 Creative Gift Tips & Ideas for 2019
1) Give the Gift of Time
We put it at the top of our list because it has become, perhaps, the most underrated (or maybe just under-realized) gift that one person can give to another. Especially in our current day and age, everything about society and our lives tells us "go go go" all the time. In a world built around the impersonal speed of a "drive-thru" mentality, sometimes the most powerful and meaningful gift you can give someone in your life is just the gift of your time and undivided attention.
Taking the time to put away cell phones, stop rushing around and counting the seconds, and just spend some real time together will always trump any gift you could buy, no matter how many zeros are on the price tag. Do yourself a favor. Give the gift of your time. It's the most precious thing you can offer, and there's no store on earth that sells it.
2) Make It Personal, Make It Perfect - Give a Personalized Gift
Custom Gift Personalization by Engrave It Houston
Everyone loves receiving gifts. We all know this. It's why Christmas is the biggest holiday of the year and why card companies are still in business. There is an inexplicable release of joy in the giving and receiving of gifts. And that joy is only intensified when the gift is personalized for the receiver. Think about it. What's better? The Hydroflask water bottle you've been pining after, OR the Hydroflask water bottle you've been pining after with your name engraved on it along with a beautiful design? (Yeah, see what we're talking about now?) It's not that there's anything wrong with the first option, but the personalized one is undeniably superior. This concept applies to pretty much any item. (With a few notable exceptions, such as babies. ie: "What's better, the baby you've been wanting to start to your family OR the baby that you've been wanting to start your family laser engraved with your name and a beautiful design?" Doesn't quite work there. But most of the time it works every time!)
When you personalize a gift, you add an extra level of that same emotional value that handmade gifts provide. You also make that item unique to the individual who receives it. And when you engrave or print your gift with a custom design, you create a one-of-a-kind piece that can't be found in stores.
3) Give Something You Made
It may seem a little cheesy but the value of a handmade gift should never be underestimated. Just like handwritten letter and cards, handmade gifts have slowly begun to go the way of the Dodo bird. It's another byproduct of our "quick and easy" society. We're all so busy with all the endless to-do's that pile up on that list we never quite seem to completely finish that the idea of finding the time to make something for someone can seem preposterous. But! That is exactly what makes a handmade gift so special. We, as people, recognize the sacrifice that it takes to set aside the time to actually make something for someone; so, when we receive a handmade gift, we associate value with that gift that transcends any amount of money one could spend. Ask any mom in the world what's the best gift she ever received. We'd be willing to bet the farm that her answer won't have anything to do with jewelry, cars, or clothing. Chances are, it's going to be something her child made and gave her that she treasures most. Why? Because when it comes to gifts, emotional value and significance outweighs financial cost every time. And that's what makes a handmade gift a sure-fire winner.
Need Help Getting Crafty? Check Out These Crafting Blogs for a Little Inspiration:
4) Try Gift Cards
Gift cards can be a great way to give a gift when you're not entirely sure what it is the receiver is really wanting/needing. These can be especially useful in scenarios where this is your first time giving this person a gift, or if you're giving a gift to someone you're still getting to know. Take the time to get to know the person's interests, and then use that knowledge to find a gift card that allows them to gift themselves with whatever item they're currently in need of related to that interest.
For example: if you know your new friend loves to read, but you're not sure what types of books they prefer. A gift card to your new friend's favorite bookstore is a gift that allows them to choose what they'll enjoy most, but is still personal in a way that just handing cash to someone lacks.
Even if you're unsure of any of the gift receiver's interests or hobbies, a pre-paid Amazon gift card (or something similar) gives them access to a vast array of items they can choose to gift themselves with but is still more personal and classy than just reaching into your pocket and shoving a handful of dollar bills in someone's face (which pretty much says "Oh crap... I totally forgot about giving you anything until right now... here's what I had in my pocket.) That's not the type of message you want to send someone you're building a relationship with, regardless of the nature of that relationship (friendship, romantic, business, etc.). A gift card is a way to keep your gift feeling personal without having to know every single detail about the interests of the person you're giving it to.
5) Create (or Order) a Coupon Book
If you like the idea of a gift card, but want to take it up a notch, this one is for you. You can create (or order from some sites) a Coupon Book. This is a collection of coupons or gift cards for a variety of different activities and businesses that the receiver is interested in. We suggest creating your own "Coupon Book" so that you can tailor it to the interests and hobbies of the receiver. This one is a little more time and effort intensive so it's not an easy quick fix if that's what you're looking for. But, if you invest the effort, it can make your gift all the more special to the receiver.
Think about the interests and hobbies of the person you're building the coupon book for. Where do they love to go in their free time? What activities do they enjoy but have a hard time spending the money to treat themselves to? What is their favorite things to treat themselves to at the end of a busy Saturday of activities? A collection of gift cards for all of these places becomes a Coupon Book or, more accurately, a sort of "Pre-Paid Experience Package" allowing your friend to enjoy a variety of their favorite activities and treats on a schedule that works best for them.
There you have it! 5 Creative Gift Tips & Ideas that will help be the master of making memories all throughout 2019. Now, get out there and start living! AND! More importantly, get out there and start giving! You’ll be glad you did.
Other Blogs by Engrave It Houston You Might Enjoy:
Where Can I Get Gifts Personalized?
3 Custom Gifts Your Friends Will Love