Christmas is an opportune time to show the people in your life how much they mean to you. In addition to spending time with them, gifting them ranks high in ways to express your love. But how can you ensure that you give them gifts that they will treasure? One trick lies in thinking about the message you wish to convey. In this way, the gift will express these feelings. Here is how you can pick out great gifts for any holiday:

Identify the Recipient

The first thing to do is to think about the kind of relationship you have with the recipient. A gift given to a life partner would not be similar to that which you would give a parent. Also, think of how you feel about them and what you would like the gift to signify. Often, people get Christmas gifts based on trends, and this can easily fail. Getting something that is not personalized will not earn you major points with a recipient. Walking into a store and grabbing the nearest gift will not help you either. Take your time with the gift.

Suppose you have a significant other who has been by your side in your ups and downs. What would you get them to show your appreciation?

Create a List

Now that you have a recipient in mind as well as the message to convey, come up with gift ideas. Here, you will need to consider someone’s preferences. Suppose you have a co-worker who spends a lot of time at work and is ever drinking coffee. You could get them a coffee mug with a witty quote. Or you could get them a spa package to help them unwind at the end of a long workweek. Or a subscription to a healthy meal plan. There are many things which would work in improving their life while showing that you care for them. Come up with as many ideas as you can and write them down.

Research the Recipient

You may think that you know someone well enough to get them a gift. However, you could find that you cannot seem to figure out what would appeal to them the most. You have a list of ideas but cannot put a finger on what would work. Here, you would need some help.

Suppose you are getting a gift for a neighbor, and you feel stuck on the ideas. You can enlist the help of another neighbor or friend who could help you narrow down the options. You may find that the friend has more information than you do. Maybe the recipient already let on what they want, and you can thus get it for them. There is power in numbers.

Let’s suppose you have talked to people who might have information, but they are as stuck as you are. Here, you can rely on the beauty of social media. Pinterest would be one such option as people are always putting up items they would want on this site. If this does not work, you can follow them on Facebook and Twitter and get an idea of what they like. Maybe they follow a given ice cream shop and are always posting emoticons on the listed products. Getting them a gift card in that shop would be a welcome idea.

Engage the Recipient

Instead of stalking a loved one on social media, you could ask them what they want for Christmas. In this way, they can let you know what they would appreciate the most. Many people prefer this as it ensures they get a gift that they can use. It is much better than receiving something that will end up stuck in a closet somewhere.

All the best!