With the holiday season fast approaching, do you ever feel like you can never find the perfect gift? Do you feel like it must be a Personalized Creations gifts for it to be the best?
Or you feel like if someone asks for money, that’s totally rude and not what they REALLY want?
An interesting study from Stanford that basically tells you to follow the wishes of the recipient.
In short:
- Gift recipients preferred specific gifts that were on their list to begin with.
- Gift givers thought that going OFF the list would make the recipients happier (not true!)
- Givers seem to want a specific suggestion than a general list
- Gift recipients prefer money over all other gifts, even the ones initially requested
In conclusion:
Don’t ignore direct requests. Don’t think that you know better than the one getting the gift & get them something totally different.
I’ve always said: I prefer money (or general gift cards that can be spent).
If you can’t give me money or gift cards for whatever reason (guilt, it’s not romantic, bla bla bla), then let’s go out to eat or have a coffee chat together.
I don’t want things, because I already know what I want and I’ll go out and buy it rather than hint & wait for someone to get it for me.
Seeing a good friend is the ultimate gift for me, as I travel so often, I rarely get to see anyone when they’re free..
As for giving gifts, I either give money (for weddings, or whatever else), or I take them out to eat.
What about you?
Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver.
I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year.
Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about 
Right on, dude. My daughters make christmas lists and we stick to thsoe lists like glue. People ask for things because that’s what they want! If you go off-list, you might strike it right and they’ll LOVE it more than anything they asked for, but probably not.
I’m in the same boat. I am traveling long term right now and money goes very far and would be the worlds greatest gift. But god forbid people give you money. I think my mom has finally learned that I am much happier when she just adds money to my paypal account than if she sends me stuff. I guess it’s all about standing firm. But I like your idea of going out for coffee if they are still refusing.