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So...I love, love, love gift giving. I seriously get a bit silly about it. I love thinking about what the guy or gal I'm shopping for would like. I love the buying part...picking out the card and all the little details. I would way rather give gifts than receive them. This doesn't make me selfless, I just have way too much fun giving gifts and I sort of can't stop. :)

I give gifts all year round and am always on the lookout for things someone might love. I write myself notes (usually emails) when I think of a good gift for someone, it helps so much when Christmas comes around.

With the holidays coming I thought I would share my top five gift giving tips.

1. Don't buy for you, buy for them:

This is the biggest mistake I see gifters making. I'm sure we have all been in the situation where you get a gift and as soon as you open it you realize it is exactly something your gift giver would wear or want-- it isn't you at all, and you say your thanks and wait until you are alone and can hide it in your closet or under your bed.

Gift giving isn't about you, it's about the recipient. Sometimes it's hard to imagine what someone else will like, so take the time to think it through. Ask yourself questions like, what colors does she wear? What are her hobbies? What is something she has been saying she needs? How does she decorate her home? Look at a potential gift and think if it is something you can imagine them using. Is it you, or is it them?

2. Don't buy in hopes of changing someone:

This one seems a little weird but I know these cases exist. You just wish your friend would amp up her style a bit, so you buy them platform heals when your friend usually wears kitten heels. Or you get them a book on vegetarian cooking when you know they love bacon. Gifts shouldn't be about changing anyone, or even giving a nudge to try something new. If you do want your friend to try something new, instead of giving it as an object (like platform heals), share an experience with them  that shows them another option (go shoe shopping together). Going back to tip number one, it is no fun to get a gift that isn't you.

3. Price doesn't matter, meaning does:

I think we all sort of say we know this, but I'm not sure we actually do. It really doesn't matter how much something costs. Some of my favorite gifts are handmade, or things my sister found at thrift stores. On the same token, it's ok to get someone something expensive if you can afford it, and know it is what they would want. When you are gift shopping remember meaning matters most. For reals, for reals, for reals.

4. Brainstorm:

Take time to think of what to get someone. We often end up hunting for a gift with no real direction or idea of what we are looking for. Every November I start writing a list of everyone I want to buy Christmas gifts for. I brainstorm early and I talk to Ronald about it to get his ideas too. It really makes things less stressful, and I don't think gift shopping and giving should be stressful things. I want to put all my good in a gift, even in my attitude when I am buying it, otherwise it is just an object and not a gesture of love like it should be.

5. Use technology to your advantage:

With things like Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc, we have so many resources to help us figure out what our friends and family like and want. It can be as easy as looking at a single Pinterest board to know what someone wants. Use this to your advantage. Plus, doing this research has meaning in itself, it shows you are interested in them and that you pay attention, that is a big deal.

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Is Christmas shopping something you love or hate?

What is the best gift you have ever received?

xx, C