The Ultimate Guide on Finding the Perfect Return Gifts

Introduction

It can be tough to find just the right return gifts to give back to your loved ones. Also finding a gift that they’ll actually like and use is another tough nut to crack. In most cases, we end up return gifting, something random, not useful or worst of it all – boring.

Don’t worry we have got you covered. Instead of heading to the nearest souvenir shop, where you might spend hours asking yourself questions about what return gifts should you buy, a better approach could be to change the perception of giving and taking gifts. People usually have this misconception that the act of giving return gifts is simply an exchange of objects. But as we all know the act of gift-giving is another form of how humans communicate and connect. Whenever you are in a similar situation, the right question to ask is: “What does this person mean to me?”. And what do you want to convey through the gift that you’re giving them?

Take a detailed guide on how to find the perfect return gifts whenever the occasion arises!

History of Gifts

Many of us must be wondering where did the tradition of giving come from? Well, there is a controversy on how the gift-giving tradition started. But mentioned below is the most voted story of all:

Gift-giving basically was started by the ancient Romans at the festival of Saturn also called saturnalias.

The action of giving gifts goes back a long time. Humans have always enjoyed each other’s company and the tradition of gifting started from here. Earlier gifts would mostly include homemade goods – like pottery, food, or any kind of sweet.

Well, we have a lot of history of giving and receiving gifts from donations. Some in the form of clothes, food, cattle, etc, some ranging from precious coins, precious metals, dowry etc to personal offerings to the kings and the list goes on.

But the real tradition started with a man named Nicholas also called Nicholas of Bari.

St. Nicholas is what they called him, and lived in a place called Myra ( present-day Turkey). St Nicholas was a bishop, he was a very rich man. Nicholas lost his parents when he was very young due to an epidemic. But Nicholas didn’t spend all his inheritance on himself, he was a very kind and generous man. He happily helped anyone in need.

There is a very famous story about how Nicholas helped a poor man who had 3 daughters. The man couldn’t afford to pay off their dowry because of which no one wanted to marry his daughters. When Nicholas heard about this he secretly went to the poor man’s house, climbed down the chimney, and threw a bag of gold. The bag landed on a sock that was kept for drying near the chimney. This is how the famous gift in the sock tradition started. Nicholas did this for all the three daughters so that they can get married.

St Nicholas is not only a hero for children but also for sailors. He was often referred to as – The patron saint of sailors. He once helped a ship filled with sailors from a dreadful storm.

St Nicholas passed away on December 6, 343 AD. After his death, these stories about St Nicholas and his good deeds started becoming popular in the 1800s. Hence the people’s beloved Santa Claus was born.

Most countries celebrate St Nicholas Day on 6th December. In many countries like the Netherlands, children wait for their presents on 5th December ( St Nicholas Eve). So from now whenever you see the magic of Christmas you should thank St Nicholas for all your gifts.

Today gifts are not only exchanged on Christmas but also on occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and other occasions too.

What is the importance of gifts?

A gift – no matter what, is a statement that you care about the person.

Gifts usually given or taken automatically put a smile on your face. People usually buy gifts to let their friends and family know that they care about them.

People these days have forgotten the true meaning of gifts and have misinterpreted their purpose. The act of gifting should come from the heart.

Have you ever been in a situation where while shopping, some random object reminds you of someone? That is your mind telling you that you care for this person.

While buying a gift we should never worry about its value. As the value in terms of the love and effort put into finding the gift cannot be measured.

Here are a few reasons why giving gifts is considered important:

• Tradition: Giving gifts on special occasions like birthdays, Christmas, New Year’s, etc has become a tradition over the years.
• To build strong relations: While some people might think that the act of gifting is not that important to build a strong relationship, it is proven that gifting once in a while can actually build a strong foundation to a relationship -even if it is something small like their favourite flower. If you need help finding the right flowers to gift, do read our detailed guide:
  
  A Detailed Guide on Finding the Right Flowers to Gift

• As a token of appreciation: Who doesn’t like to feel appreciated? Getting a gift for people who have made your life beautiful, shows that you appreciate them. Their presence in your life makes you happy and you need their support and guidance.

Another meaning for this can be to give someone to appreciate them for their good work. Bosses pay their employees a bonus for the hard work that the employees have put in throughout the year.

(Don’t know what to give your co-workers? Don’t worry we’ve got you covered, click on the link below to find – Gift ideas for coworkers )

• To help during a difficult time: Gifts can also be given for a cause, we are fortunate enough to celebrate our holiday season with our loved ones just the way we want, but there are a lot of people who can’t even manage to have supper for a day. Gifting for a cause can bring a different kind of satisfaction to our hearts.

In conclusion, gifting is the best feeling in the world. It completely makes sense to gift without waiting for any special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, or New Year. So whenever you have the chance to make your loved ones happy, just get them something you know they’ll love and appreciate.

How to find the perfect return gifts?

When it comes to buying return gifts, I’m sure most of us have been in a number of awkward situations. Mostly where we were given a gift by someone we know but couldn’t figure out how to return the favour. Either because they don’t really like anything or there isn’t really anything in particular that they want. So we end up getting something generic.

Everyone loves receiving gifts from their loved ones. Doesn’t it feel great?

After receiving gifts, we usually express our appreciation by a simple thank you. Instead we could try to appreciate the efforts by sending some return gifts across.

This is your time to make your loved ones happy by giving them some return gift to express your gratitude.

• Think about how close you are to the person: Your relationship with the person defines what type of gift will be best suitable. If you have a special bond with the person,try and see if you can get something personalized. This will remind them of the wonderful memories of the past.
• Think about the occasion: The most important thing is to keep the occasion in mind.
• Create a Budget in your head: Before you plan to go shopping, you should have a clear idea about how much you can spend on a gift. When you have a budget in your head you can inform the salesman about it. This saves up a lot of time as you will only be shown gifts that are within your price range.
• Consider the value of the gift received when deciding on the return gift: There is nothing wrong in doing that. Every person has their own perceptions of what the perfect return gift should be.

How to present a gift?

Buying a gift is surely important, but how you present the gift plays a special role too. Here are a few ways in which you can make your presents look more presentable:

• Packaging: This plays a very important role, the most satisfying part of this whole gift-giving process is watching the other person unwrap the gift that you have given them. You can add a special touch to it by customizing the wrapping paper or even choosing their favourite color. You could also go mad with huge bows and ribbons and beautiful gift bags. Additionally, you can make it fun by adding a lot of extra tapes and wrapping paper, to see them struggle with the opening of the gift.
• Include something else with the gift: Adding a little handwritten note, or a funny card with the gift adds a little extra love to the gift.
• Try to be creative with the giving of the gift: Don’t just simply hand over the gift to the person. This is your time to get creative with the gift. Plan a treasure hunt with a handmade map, or go crazy with puzzles. You can also secretly place the gift in an area where they don’t expect it to be.

FAQs related to finding gifts

• Is it necessary to give a birthday return gift?
  ANSWER: No, giving a birthday return gifts completely depends on the person. There are many situations in which people give gifts, but expect nothing in return.
• If someone gets you something expensive as a gift, are you expected to give them something of the same value?
  ANSWER: No, it is not necessary, the motive of gift-giving is to make the person happy. People usually feel a lot of pressure to give a return gift of equal or greater value. However, this should not be the case as gifts are given to express love and appreciation.
• What if you want to gift one person from the group? is it necessary to give the entire group?
  ANSWER: Many people feel guilty in situations like this as they feel that they should have purchased gifts for the entire group rather than one person. In situations like this you should always remember your relationship with the person you choose to gift. Alternatively, if you want to avoid situations like these try exchanging gifts in person.
• When invited for dinners or small parties, is it necessary to give gifts?
  ANSWER: For situations like this, one must always carry something for the host, as a token of appreciation. It does not specifically have to be something expensive, you can either gift flowers, a bottle of wine, or something that you made at home like a cake or pie.
• Is regifting appropriate?
  ANSWER: Sometimes people are stuck with items that they already have or are of no use to them. In situations like this one must think of regifting the item. Regifting is appropriate and safe if you keep a few things in mind like:
  • Never regift to the sender: Be very careful that you don’t accidentally regift it to the sender. This will hurt their feelings as they had put so much effort and time to get you a gift.
  • Always regift outside the circle: Whenever u want to regift an item, make sure it is outside the circle. You may ask why?- well someone could easily use your regift and then bump into the person who gave the gift to you. This might lead to unwanted misunderstandings in the entire circle.
  • Charity: The best alternative to regifting is donating it to the charity. This way the original sender won’t have a chance to know that you have re-gifted their gift
• What to do when you receive financial gifts
  ANSWER: Whenever you are in situations like this make sure you follow some of these simple rules:
  • Never ask for cash yourself: It is their decision whether they want to give you some extra funds.
  • Always show appreciation: whenever you receive a check from your friends or family make sure you show proper appreciation for it, in-person and you could also send them a thank you note.
  • Do not discuss the amount received: You need to be tight-lipped about this infront of other friends and family. It can be disrespectful to some people.
• How to deal with gifts that you don’t want?
  ANSWER: There are a lot of times when you receive gifts that you need or already have. For times like this, regifting is the most appropriate thing to do. Make sure you regift it to someone appropriate and that the gift does not end up hopping homes.

What to give someone who is not very close?

Don’t you think this happens every year? You find yourself searching for the right gift for someone whom you don’t know closely. There are people around the world who have a different taste in everything and are very unique. However, it is very frustrating as their taste confuses you and you are stuck with something you know that they won’t like, ]]. Well don’t worry we have got you covered. Mentioned below are a few tips and gift ideas for people whom you don’t know closely or are very picky:

Before you jump into what would be the perfect gift for them, we must rule out what doesn’t work for them:

Don’ts :

• Do not give something that they can only use once.
• Do not buy them any type of clothing items, as you are not well aware of their style and size. It would just force them to either regift it or to donate it to someone that needs it.
• Do not get them any type of gift card, regardless of your thought behind it, it only shows minimum effort.

Do’s:

• A gift should always be useful, even though you don’t know them that well, but you could rule out some basic things that they like or need.
• Before purchasing a gift, ask yourself this simple question “ would I regret this?”, if yes we highly recommend you to not purchase it and get something simple.
• Surprise them! Whenever you get a gift for someone you put a lot of time and effort into it You could surprise them by showing up with the gift one day before, this would show that you remember and care enough to have spent your time and effort to surprise them. Another way to go around this is to add a little extra surprise like a small box of chocolate, flowers, or simply a handmade item like a jar of cookies or a cake.
• Pick up items that are versatile and simple, like scented candles, something of quality that would not go wasted.

What to keep in mind while gifting someone?

Though giving gifts is the most satisfying feeling in the world, Finding the perfect gift for your loved ones is not an easy task. Not everyone can be open about what they want for the holidays or for any occasion. When it comes to gifting your friends and family, you can’t just get them anything, as this will indicate that you didn’t put any effort or thought into it.

Always go for something that they want or like and can be useful to them. Mentioned below are some tips on how to find the perfect gift for your loved ones:

• Relation with the person– Always try and remember the relationship that you have with that person, it will help you narrow down the type of gift you want.
• Create a wish list– Sit down and make a list of their likes and dislikes, if you have a close relationship with this person you would definitely know what they like and what they don’t. Always consider their age, as it plays a major role in this. Consider their personality and taste too, this will help you find the perfect item for them. One more trick to fasten this process is to take a peek at their wishlist, taking a look at this would help you to get what they exactly want, and they’ll be more than happy with this.
• Consider the price range – Having a rough budget in mind will help you save time. When you go shopping with a proper budget in mind it will help you narrow down things that are within your budget.
• Get them something they need– Identifying what the person needs will help you find them the perfect gift. During conversations most people express what they require, remembering conversations like this will help. Items that they can use in their day-to-day lives are the best ones.

Keeping all these things in mind will help you find the best gift for your loved ones. Also, you could ask for advice from friends and family. You can also make this fun by getting creative with the packaging and adding some extra items like flowers, chocolates, etc.

What are the different types of gift-givers?

• The genuine giver- These types of gift-givers are loved and cherished by all of the family members and by their friends. They don’t wait for any of the occasions to make their loved ones happy. No one can ever doubt their intentions, they care and respect your likes and dislikes. If you even have one person like this in your life, appreciate and love them and consider yourself as the luckiest person on this planet.
• The complete show-off– These types of gift-givers are usually the worst, as to them gifting is only an excuse to show off their power and money. For them there is no emotion attached to the gifts that they are given, it always comes down to the amount they have spent to get this gift. They do not care about the person to whom they are giving the gift to, instead they just choose something that will show their status and power in front of people.
• The regifter- These types of gift-givers look at gifts as an opportunity to regift them for any upcoming event. They do not believe in purchasing gifts for every occasion, rather they just re gift something that is of no use to them. Their behavior should not be misunderstood as everyone has their own perception of this whole gift-giving process. You should never try to confront them as it might have an impact on your relationship with the person. It might also hurt their feelings and they might feel embarrassed.
• Sentimental giver- These types of gift-givers are the ones that can go to any lengths to get you the best present ever. Moreover, they usually have a special attachment with you and want to see you happy. They know everything about your likes and dislikes and know what exactly you need. You can expect some personalized gifts from them as a token of the beautiful times you have spent with them in the past.
• The last minute magicians– These types of gift-givers are the ones who have nothing prepared in advance and they always leave things like this to the last minute. They usually end up giving money or gift vouchers as gifts, which is okay. But sometimes people expect to be a little surprised with a well-thought gift.

What should you do when you receive an unexpected gift?

Have you ever been in a situation where you receive a completely unexpected gift from someone? Comparatively, receiving a gift is sometimes tougher than giving out gifts. But how you react in situations like this matters a lot. This puts you in a very uncomfortable position.

Don’t know how to react or show appreciation in situations like this, don’t worry we’ve got you covered. Here are some tips that will help you tackle situations like these as a pro.

• Be calm and accept the gift: Whenever you are stuck in a situation like this, always remember that you stay calm and do not overthink the situation in your head. Greet them with a simple thank you for the moment. How you react when you first receive the gift is very important. The other person should not get any wrong ideas by your reaction, as they have put in a lot of effort in purchasing the gift. A simple smile could go a long way for situations like this.
• Appreciation: After receiving the gift, the next step should be appreciation. Eventually, after your brain has had enough time to process this, you should always go to the person who brought you the gift and appreciate the efforts that they have put into this
• Show how you feel: When in situations like this the next step would be to open the present. Here the biggest thing is to not over-flatter the person. Describe the gift use words that are realistic, as much as people like to be flattered if done in excess it can lead to making you sound fake
• Do not exaggerate your feelings: and continue appreciating the person after every 5 mins, as this can make the situation very awkward for both parties. Never ever exaggerate about your relationship with the person, be honest and simple about this whole situation.
• Do not over-stress: about the whole situation, usually when in a situation like this you feel responsible for getting the person something in return. Thinking about this is completely fine but do not let yourself act over it right away. You should always remember that this act of gift-giving was simply to make you happy and to not make you stressed and embarrassed.
• Token of appreciation: After the event is over make sure you send them a personalized thank you note, or a thank you card. You can read our detailed guide on finding the perfect greeting card:
  The Detailed Guide on Choosing the Right Greeting Card

What are some budget-friendly return gifts?

Have you ever been in a situation where you have to give return gifts but your budget does not cooperate with this idea? We all have a love-hate relationship with gifts. You don’t have to worry anymore, listed below are 5 budget-friendly return gift items, that you can arrange or even make from your own hands, for your loved ones:

DIY Photo Candles

Source: https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/make-personalized-candles-packing-tape-transfer.html

Create this amazing photo candle, with their pet’s picture or something that they are very fond of. Besides this you can add a little extra magic by adding some of their favorite essential oils.

DIY Personalized Calendar

Source: https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/diy-mini-photo-calendar-wfree-printables.html

Create this amazing photo candle, with their pet’s picture or something that they are very fond of. Additionally, you can add a little extra magic by adding some of their favorite essential oils.

Ceramic Mugs

Source: https://www.5minutesformom.com/132234/unique-coffee-mug-gift-ideas/

For your coffee and tea lovers, this could be a great gift. Additionally, you could also personalize this by printing some of their favorite characters on the mug. You can add a little extra by incorporating good coffee beans or some chocolates with the mug.

Gift Plants

Source: https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-plants-to-give-as-gifts.html

Plants can be great return gifts for any person. They are not only considered a great gift option in general but can be a great way to express your support towards the environment. This can be a great return gifts for marriage, as it is considered auspicious to gift live gifts on such occasions. For a detailed guide on finding gift plants do read our guide:

A detailed guide on finding the right plant to gift

Wall Arts

Source: https://www.etsy.com/in-en/listing/576301977/music-wall-art-gifts-for-musicians-gift

For people with a great eye for art, this is the perfect gift. If you are good at painting go ahead and paint a personalized gift for your loved ones, or simply order one keeping in mind their taste. This can be a great housewarming return gift.

What are some return gifts for coworkers?

Thinking of some return gifts for your co-workers? But tired of brainstorming? Listed below are a few awesome return gift ideas for coworkers:

Food hampers

Source–Bountiful-gourmet

You usually are aware of what snacks are best during office hours or what can relax one’s mind, grab your co-workers’ favorite munchies and create a care hamper for them. This will obviously show how well you know and observe them, and instantly put a smile on their face.

The ultimate sweets box

 

Source–(pinimg.com)

For people with a sweet tooth this is one of the best return gifts they can have. Put in a variety of their favorite chocolates and sweets in some customized return gift bags and you are good to go. How can anything go wrong with cakes and chocolates?

Mini humidifier

Source-(apolloboxassets.com)

Surprise your co-workers with a cute mini humidifier. Undeniably, office life at times can get tense and frustrating. This cute little return gift will help them a lot to keep their cool.

Scented candles

Source-https://www.goodeeworld.com/products/kobo-crushed-mint-candle?&sscid=11k6_ran99

Gift your coworkers something that will help them be relaxed, and what better than some scented candles? To make it more special, you can also customize the candle by printing a quote on the candle jar, this will always remind them of you.

A pack of stress balls

Source-(etsystatic.com)

The office environment sometimes can be pretty stressful, be it because of deadlines or because of meetings. These stress balls will help reduce their stress and increase productivity.

What are some awesome return gift ideas for kids?

The most tedious job is not organizing a birthday party, but finding the perfect return gifts for the little minions. Here are a few great return gifts for a birthday party, and trust us, they will love them.

Mini board games

Source–(supercutekawaii.com)

In today’s world it must be difficult to engage your kids with any fun games that are outside the screen. Board games might do the magic, by simply playing these games with them, you can easily shift their focus from the screen.

Puzzles

Source-(ssl-images-amazon.com)

Giving the kids a good pack of puzzles, helps them in a lot of ways. They develop analytical skills. It can keep the kids occupied for hours.

Art supplies

Source– (allure.com)

Every kid loves stuffing their hands in paint, 90% of the kids enjoy painting and drawings, giving them a kit of art supplies like- crayons, paint, glitters, coloring books, etc. It can help bring out the creative side of the kids

Lunchboxes

Source: https://www.verywellfamily.com/best-lunchboxes-for-kids-4690308

You can give away some fun lunch boxes, with some cartoons printed on them, and get one set for boys and another for girls.

Birthday return gift ideas under Rs 50

Are you thinking of throwing your kid an awesome birthday party? But don’t know how to fit return gifts within your budget? Well, the wait is over, mentioned below are some awesome birthday return gifts under 50 rupees.

You can also read our blog on some inexpensive birthday gift options for kids, to get more ideas:

Top 20 inexpensive return gift ideas for a kid’s birthday

Sippers

Source-(etsystatic.com)

Gift these amazing customized sippers to the kids as a birthday return gift, you can keep one set for boys and the other for girls, this way you can avoid some frowning faces.

Tin keychains

Source–(littledesire.com)

Kids usually love cute keychains, they can put these in their bags and pencil bags and can use it to store their valuables. You can make it special by adding small scented erasers inside them, or tiny candies.

Temporary tattoos

Source-(ikuzotattoos.com)

Let us just agree to the fact that tattoos are pretty cool. And most kids would love to sport one of their favorite characters as tattoos these days. You can buy some temporary tattoo stickers online and give them away as return gifts.

Coloring books

Source- (isu.pub)

These have to be their favorites, kids love to paint and draw, getting them a coloring book would help them develop a lot of skills and will keep them busy

This is one of the most preferred birthday return gifts for kids.

Small stationary set

Source-Creative-Station

Kids usually love customized stationery, this is something that they can use in their day-to-day lives and can also be an affordable return gift option. You can always put an assorted set of stationery items in customized return gift bags and it will become a great return gift option.

Conclusion

There is usually a lot of thought that we put into finding the perfect return gifts. Deciding on the budget, sticking to it, or even contemplating if at all the people receiving the gifts will like that. However, return gifts are simply a gesture to appreciate someone’s gifts or just their presence. And as long as your heart is into that, a mere thank you note can be sufficient to serve that purpose.