Buying a gift for your loved ones can be tricky. They’re either easily satisfied or hard to impress. But that doesn’t mean you should be discouraged to shower them with gifts and show them your appreciation. On the contrary, you should be challenged to find something that would instantly put a smile on their faces or something that they’d never forget (and still talk about on your next reunion.) Here are some foolproof ways to show your appreciation to your parents, grandparents, siblings, and or partners.
Go with Something Unexpected
Flowers, food, and money are some of the basic gifts family members expect. Instead of feeling like a gift, it’s more like a duty to give them something similar. The meaning behind the thoughtful action gets lost when it is repeated every year for quite some time now. What you can do is level-up your gift-giving skills. Instead of going with the usual gifts, go with a box of high-quality beef that they could cook later on. Instead of flowers, go with a bouquet of tropical fruits that you won’t find in your local market. Instead of gifting grandparents with usual gifts, you can get them something practical like a bathtub for aging loved ones (which you can get installed by a professional at a later date.)
Gift ideas you can try: a lifetime supply of their usual laundry soap (which you can hand-deliver once in a while, which is also a great reason to visit,) pillows with you and your siblings’ faces printed on them, a collection of mugs and other glassware as a replacement for the ones you broke as a child.
Give them Something Nostalgic
Remember the brand of chocolate they’ve secretly snacked on when you were young? Or the perfume they’ve worn every day when they drove you to school? They might not remember now, but buying them something that appeals to their senses can jog their memory, and you might even get a bit of waterworks. A gift doesn’t always have to be grand; it can be as simple as a chocolate bar or a stick of gum. It’s the emotions they evoke from the wonderful memories they have of whatever gift you bring.
Nostalgic gift ideas you can try: their favorite scent, any memorabilia of their highschool sports team, a restored version of their first car
Sometimes, Your Presence is Enough
Call it cliche, or even stingy, but sometimes being there for your loved ones is better than any gift you give during infrequent visits. That’s why it is important to find time to visit your loved ones and make them feel that you love and miss them, and that they can count on you when they need help. They’ll understand that this is a hard feat to achieve, especially if you’re living or working in a different city, state, or even country. In these situations, you can just assure them that your communication lines are always open, and that it will be your priority to message back or call you back when you miss their calls.
