In a society where so much of our day to day interactions come from social media and virtual communications, it’s easy to forget one of the most valued languages that people can use. The language of giving; many people find that receiving and giving gifts is their primary way of communicating their admiration and gratitude. The statement “it’s the thought that counts” honestly couldn’t be more true. When you receive a gift from someone, when you can tell that they put thought behind it and tried to get you something that really made them think of you, it’s meaningful and shows the care that people have for you.
Giving gifts is a form of communication and just like any other form of communication it is something that can be improved and focused on. When giving a gift to someone it is important that the focus stays on making the recipient feel good. That’s the point of a gift, to make someone feel good and appreciated. One way to really improve this skill, or be sure that the gift will be received well is to observe. Observation is an important skill when it comes to a lot of aspects of life but is very useful in gift giving. When you are with someone and just listen and watch, you can often learn what their interests are and the things that excite them.
While it’s not always obvious what someone may want, even if you listen and pay attention, simply knowing their personality and seeing what sparks your interest and reminds you of them is always a good play when you’re walking around a store. Showing that you put thought into a gift is what matters and reflects on the person when you give them the gift. If you know that they love to travel, giving them something meant for convenience would show them that you pay attention to their interests and tried to give them something that they would enjoy and / or use.