- Look Good
- 30th May 2025
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Introducing our ultimate gift guides – how to find the perfect gift for anyone in your life
Whether gift giving is your love language, or you’re totally lost when it comes to picking out something for someone else, this guide is for you.
Turns out life is simply year after year of birthday gifts, hostess gifts, graduation gifts, baby shower gifts, wedding gifts, the list goes on and on. And the need for a gift ranges drastically from something so you don’t show up empty handed, all the way to ‘no matter how far in advance I plan, it just seems like no store or website has a candle or book or mug that can truly live up to what my best friend deserves.’
The truth is, finding the perfect gift isn’t about luck and it doesn’t need to require a big budget, I’m going to spill all my tips on how to become the ultimate gift giver (stay tuned for the ultimate monthly gift guides coming soon) – no matter the occasion.
Let’s start easy
If you aren’t already doing this, you should be!
Whenever your friend says they like something or want something, add it to a running list in your notes app. This is what you’ll come back to when it’s time to find them the perfect gift. When you give it to them, they’ll know you’re thoughtful and you listen when they talk – plus you’ll know for sure that they’re going to love it!
Don’t worry, I know not everyone will outright tell you what they want, this is why some of my best advice for the perfect gift is gathering information.
So, who is this person?
What do they do in their spare time? What do you do together? Is there a funny memory or trip you took together that your gift could be a nod to?
There’s nothing wrong with stalking their pinterest account or scrolling through who they follow to find inspo. I try to take note of any brands they might keep tabs on or patterns in their pins – are they constantly engaging with Matilda Djerf, and pinning aesthetic yet candid morning routine photos to a board titled ‘life’? Chances are they’re going to be coveting the Gustaf Westman mug and a Summer Berries Robe, even if they don’t know it yet!
When they say open up your gift and say ‘omg, how did you know?’ you can thank me later.
All things considered
It’s not just about knowing this person on paper, there’s actually a bit of a formula I turn to when it comes to dreaming up the perfect gift.
The perfect gift needs to consider at least two of these three things: their interests, their aesthetic and have a personal touch.
Success stories
Let me explain with a real life example.
One of my friends is starting to get into cooking and is constantly asking me for the recipe (of literally anything) I make when she comes over to mine.
So for her birthday, I researched a ton of dinner ideas to find ones I knew she’d love and hand-wrote them all to make her a personalised cookbook complete with tiny drawings and inside jokes.
I paired that with some tableware for her kitchen and a card and voila! An interest plus personal touch success!
The perfect formula
If you’re wondering what aesthetic has to do with all this, let me tell you. A good gift can be practical and improve someone’s life BUT you still need to consider their choice in colours, brands and overall visual appeal in order to make it a home run.
For example, if you know your friend likes running, you might think to spoil them with a fancy Nike running vest, gel packs and sport sunglasses to help them get a PB on their next 5k. But that’s not going to be a home run gift if we find out they’re more of Lululemon, slick back bun, Ganni scrunchie kind of runner, do you see what I mean?
The gift of all gifts
Now you’re taking notes of everything your friends say, keeping tabs on their social media activity and paying attention to how you can call this all into action when their birthday rolls around but I still have one more gifting secret that you’re definitely going to want in your back pocket.
Let’s call it the problem solver.
This is where instead of focussing on an item or physical gift, you focus on solving a problem in their life.
Let’s say your friend has a long commute to work and is always complaining about the wasted time spent being bored while en route. Your gift to them will be to make this once yawn worthy journey a little more fun.
Depending on your budget, you can start with a custom playlist (strategically the length of their journey) or an Audible subscription that will keep them company.
Then consider the exact details of their trip to fill out the rest. Do they take the train? Maybe they need a good pair of headphones or a stylish travel bag. Or is it a long drive that they might want a removable seat heat to keep them warm and comfortable plus a glove compartment full of snacks?
You’re paying attention! You’re solving a problem they didn’t even know needed solving! You’re the ultimate gift giver.
Now you know almost all of my top tips on how to brainstorm, shop and create the perfect gift for anyone in your life but still, even the best of us need a bit of help. That’s why each month I’ll be sharing a new guide so you can stay at the top of your gifting game. Keep an eye out for the ultimate gift guide – June edition.
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