Do you find yourself warming up when the time comes to give a gift to someone you love? You know the feeling; you know you’re about to choose the perfect present and you cannot wait to see the look on their face when they open it. There is not one person out there who doesn’t like to receive a gift and not one person who doesn’t enjoy the feeling of giving to someone else. Well, perhaps Ebenezer Scrooge, but he was fiction, so we can let him off. The point is that gift-giving and receiving are the same in every culture: and everyone enjoys it. Christmas is usually the biggest time in the year for handing out the presents and playing Father Christmas for the children, but there are SO many opportunities for you to be the best friend, sibling and partner possible throughout the year.
The whole point of giving gifts is to make someone happy. You’re showing your appreciation, your love, your sympathy: whatever the reason, gift-giving is never a bad thing. It can cultivate closer relationships and make you all feel closer as a family. However, in saying all of that, there are times where gift-giving is not appropriate, and manners are going to be your biggest friend here! The last thing that you want to do when giving a gift is making the recipient feel uncomfortable in any way. Gifts are a time for smiles and happiness, not upset and awkward acceptance. There is actually a lot in the way of etiquette when it comes to giving and receiving gifts, and below you’ll find the exact procedure to follow when it comes to the crucial moment.
Giving
The first thing you should do when it comes to gift-giving is to know the purpose behind it. Are you going to be handing a personal gift to someone you love or purchasing a gift for the person leaving the office? The difference will be in the sentiment. You’d likely not research custom bobbleheads all 25% off for your Mom, but it’d be an epic gift to buy for a colleague who is moving to a new office and needs some desktop décor. Ask yourself how much you care about the person you are buying for, as this will dictate how much time, energy and cash you pour into this gift. It’s important to know your audience. You’d not buy a bottle of the finest whiskey for a teetotal person, so learn their likes and dislikes so that you can ensure your gift giving is on point. When you actually hand the gift over, make sure that you’ve wrapped it beautifully with all the bells and whistles in ribbons and glitter. Ensure all pricing is taken off the wrapper as well as the gift – triple check this one – and make sure that you give your gift in an appropriate way. This is where knowing the recipient helps; some people aren’t comfortable with public displays of affection, so understand that before you book the flash mob, okay?
Receiving
It doesn’t matter what happens, always be gracious for a gift. When you are put on the spot and have received a beautifully wrapped parcel, you should always be polite and smile. Sometimes, we receive gifts that aren’t to our taste, and that’s okay. The thing to appreciate here is the time and effort that someone in your life has put in for you. Always take a gift with both hands and smile your thanks as you do. The effort that you put into the thank you when you receive a gift is crucial. You want to show your gratitude for the item you’ve received. Even if you say thank you in person, you should always send a thank you note to follow up. The person that gave you the gift doesn’t have to know that you are planning to sell it on or exchange it if it isn’t to your taste, so manners are important.
Whether you are the person giving or receiving the gift, observing manners and gratitude is so important. The person giving you a gift will be eager to see your excitement, even if you aren’t excited! Take the time to practice your happy face, even if you are disappointed. Your reaction will dictate whether you get gifts in the future, and you should make sure that you are prepared for someone to exchange a gift that you may give. Buying presents is half the fun, getting the smile for it is the other half!
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