How to Make Your Holiday Gifts Extra Meaningful this Year

Amy Taylor December 23, 2015

Holiday gift-giving can be fun, but stressful too. Think about the traffic jam, the endless lines in stores, the possibility of overspending, and the hassle of thinking about what to give to your loved ones. But it doesn’t have to be that way each year. You can make this coming holiday gift-giving a more satisfying and fulfilling experience. And we’ve got scientifically proven tips for you.

Know the person.

When you know the person, what his hobbies and interests are, choosing a gift becomes a breeze. The most important thing about gift-exchanging is knowing the person really well. This way, you can be sure that he or she will truly appreciate your gift. And you are going to save time and effort visiting each and every boutique out there hunting for the perfect present.

Be practical.

Spending just the right amount of money per gift takes away the anxiety that overspending might bring. A great way to start your gift-giving project this year is to determine the number of people you will be giving those presents too, and setting a budget. This may also come as a surprise for you but most people appreciate practical presents more than the expensive ones. Last year, a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that gift givers focus too much on the desirability of potential gifts and not enough on how the recipient might use those gifts. Choose gifs that your recipients would be able to use and really enjoy.

Give gifts to charity.

A 2009 research by the Harvard Business School has shown that people who gifts to charity are happier. Another study, published in 2013 in the International Journal of Happiness and Development found that people felt happier after giving in a personalized manner, via a friend or relative, than after giving an anonymous donation.

Make it from scratch.

Handmade gifts are more special because they are made with real efforts and lots of love. Plus, you can save some cash making your own presents! Giving handmade goods or hand-me-downs ensures that you are giving something unique and really special. A 2015 study which appeared in the Journal of Marketing revealed that people prefer buying homemade items for loved ones and were even willing to pay as much as 17 percent more for homemade things versus mass-produced items.

Give experience.

Give experiences rather than items. Objects may be destroyed or lost and forgotten in time. Experiences won’t. A study by Washington University in St. Louis and Seoul National University suggests that experiences are a better choice than anything tied under a bow. Experiential gifts are particularly more meaningful for kids, and are really treasured by older ones alike.

Have you started planning what gifts to give this Boxing Day? Have you tried any of these ideas before? Which one worked well for you? We’d like to hear your thoughts. Feel free to post a comment below.