3 Tips For Buying The Perfect Gift For Your Significant Other
17 Nov 2023
Photo by Andre Furtado
Choosing the perfect gift for someone you love can be a true challenge. Even if you think you know your significant other like the back of your hand, finding that ideal combination of thoughtfulness, personal style, and utility is the key to a remarkable and memorable gift. To help you achieve the impossible and score the perfect present, here’s a brief guide to the top three tips for buying for your significant other.
1. Listen, listen, listen.
One of the best ways to figure out what your significant other really wants is simply to listen. This may be as simple as perking up when she says, “You know, I was shopping boutique handbags online the other day, and the Annabel Ingall tote, especially the one in navy, sure would be a great way to carry things around on my birthday!” More likely, it will not be this easy. But whether your loved one is a major hint-dropper or far more difficult to read, this simple tip always ends up paying off. Listen not just for explicit gift ideas, but also for items your loved one needs, accessories she admires on her favourite celebrities, or changes he or she is hoping to make in the future.
Bonus tip: Keep a journal of ideas as you listen, ideally well in advance of the actually gift-giving occasion. That way, when it’s time for your girlfriend’s birthday, you will have already jotted down her favourite resort wear from the last season of Real Housewives, which will seem like almost superhuman thoughtfulness on your part.
2. Connect the gift to an experience.
Some people love getting tangible gifts on special occasions, while others prefer sharing memorable experiences. So, why not do both? Pairing an object with an experience to match not only doubles the quality and significance of the gift, but also creates a special memory that will long be associated with the object itself.
Bonus tip: Give the gift while the experience is taking place. Engagement stories have been onto this for decades, but there’s also an impressive impact in giving your partner a certificate for guitar lessons while you’re at a Radiohead concert, or a new scarf as you step off the plane on your first trip together.
3. Add a deeply personal element.
It may sound simple (and it is), but taking time to add a personal touch can spell the difference between a mediocre gift and something your loved one will never forget. The perfect way to go here is to opt for unique fine jewelry, which lends itself well to engraving, birthstones, and the like. However, your options are limitless: an inscription in a first edition of her favourite book, an article of clothing from her favourite place on earth, or a childhood toy mentioned on an early date are all deeply personal.
Bonus tip: Go beyond the basics of initials and dates with something that’s meaningful just to the two of you. Whether it’s a catchphrase, a code word, or an inside joke, this tip is about what makes the gift recipient – and your relationship – truly special and unique.
These three tips are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to giving the perfect gift for your significant other. While there’s a lot to consider when it comes to your loved one’s personal tastes and preferences, these bits of advice form a great foundation for choosing gifts that can celebrate both major and minor hallmarks in your relationship. Always remember to listen, commemorate special experiences, and opt for gifts that have some emotional resonance. So, best of luck, and have fun shopping for that special someone!
Craig Silva
Craig is a husband, father, team leader, travel and food writer, senior youth group coordinator, designer, brander, community builder, volunteer, and social media strategist. He likes to travel, go camping, go on road trips, watch movies, build stuff, operate the grill, and sing with his band. Craig is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and Travel Media Association of Canada. If you are a PR agency or brand and would like Craig to review a travel destination, vehicle, restaurant, product or service, please send him an email.
Recommended Posts
Tis The Season: 2023 Holiday Gift Guide
27 Nov 2023 - Lifestyle
