How To Choose A Gift That Keeps On Giving

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Sometimes, it can be tough to find the perfect gift for the right occasion. When you want to give a gift that isn’t just consumed and thrown away, where do you look? The idea of the “gift that keeps on giving” is a pretty prevalent one, but what does that really mean? The right gifts can have value long after the giving. Here are a few examples of each kind of value to help steer you in the right direction.

Experience

There’s a little-known trick to choosing gifts that are perceived as more valuable. Scientifically, it has been shown that people tend to value experiences much more than things. Instead of having something bulky wrapped up for them, present them with a simple ticket to a ball game or a weekend in the city. For the romantic partners in your life, you might be able to make it even more special by creating the experience yourself. For instance, you can set up a DIY spa day in the comfort of your own home for them to really let them relax.

Personalization

One of the reasons experiences are considered so valuable because it takes a gift and makes it unique to them as a person. No-one else is going to have the same memories of that gift as they are. There is value in uniqueness. Which is why personalized gifts can be just as valuable. A pen with their name, a robe with their initials, an illustration of their home. There are lots of ways to personalize just about any item you can imagine. Just choose something that they are either going to be proud to display or likely to use often. Personalization works better when they are prone to experience it time and time again.

Value

Personalizing a gift can add lasting value that actually increases as time goes on. But there are other gifts with that feature built in. Gifts that have real, monetary value that can rise throughout the years. I'm not talking about buying a share portfolio of course, but something collectible. Vintage toys, antiques, there are all kinds of collectibles. If you can find those that have specific meaning or history to your loved one, that’s all the better. If they’re a traveler, they might particularly love collectible coins like a Royal Canadian Mint. The idea of increasing value doesn’t necessarily mean that it should be something they want to sell in future. But the awareness of that value can make a gift feel even more important to them as time goes on.

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Usefulness

When we’re younger, we often think “useful” gifts seem like something of a waste of a good occasion. As you get older, however, the thoughtfulness of receiving a gift that makes your life a little easier becomes much more apparent. You might not have the budget, time, or memory to get that one thing that can really save you lots of time. This is why useful gifts for parents tend to be some of the most effective. Giving a gift that is useful shows that you remember the little details of their life and are willing to help make it all a little easier. That can actually be a rather heartwarming gesture.

Entertainment value

For the younger kids or nerdy young adults, you want to get them something they will use time and time again. Look at the entertainment value of it all. Gadgets are the catch-all term for techy things that do something new or do something old in a novel way. Especially for young men and women into tech, they can have real lasting value. In fact, some of the more recent gadget crazes like drones and fidget spinners take on a whole community and hobby status of their own. Check out some of the top gadgets this year. You don’t have to have a huge budget to get something techy and new for those in your life.

Positivity

To others, gadgets might seem a little on the shallow side. There are some people who simply aren’t looking for much personal entertainment or a fun distraction. For the more considerate, thoughtful, or value-driven people in your life, you can give them something that aligns with those morals and goals of theirs. The gift of well-meaning, like donating to a charity in their name, can really have huge value to some people. Just make sure you’re taking the time to find a charity that has meaning to them or a cause they care about. You may want to do a little research on just how effective and trustworthy that charity is, too.

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New Skills

Then there are those people who love constantly growing and acquiring new talents. For the more energetic, the go-getters, and those looking for new hobbies, why not consider treating them to a class? Cooking classes are some of the most fun experiences to share with a loved one and can help you learn a skill that definitely keeps on giving in the new culinary tastes you can share. But you can find crafting classes, dance classes, programming classes. For just about every skill, there is a class that can help you learn. You might even do a little espionage work to glean information on what they want to learn or do next to help you choose.