The Best Gift ... Different for Everyone

It’s gifting season. The guides are out with recommendations for the best gifts to give everyone from toddlers to tech lovers. I just came across an article that listed 12 gifts that supposedly no one wants. After reading it, I’m even more convinced that generalizing, like this article does, is never a good strategy.

According to this author, no one wants socks. I love socks. I especially love getting socks as a gift because I have a hard time spending money on myself for “good socks.” For me, good socks are warm. Good socks have extra room for my toes. I love fun socks that showcase something important to me. (My favorite pair of socks say that I’m an awesome aunt, and I received them as a gift last Christmas!) These kinds of socks cost more than the economy pack of white ankle socks, which is what I normally buy for myself.

The article reinforced my opinion that gifts require thought and are meant for those who are important enough to us that we actually know something about them. Years ago, a boss gave me a cookbook. I’m sure it cost a lot of money, and I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. I surely appreciated the thought. That said, it was big and heavy. The hard cover protected glossy pages filled with professionally staged photos of delicacies probably worthy of some award. Unfortunately, I don’t cook. I especially don’t cook meat and potatoes that take hours of preparation and special trips to the grocery store. Had it been loaded with recipes for truffles and fudge, I might think differently. That cookbook, however, would have required this boss to know a little something about me.

With the holidays just around the corner, I find myself reminiscing about the important people in my life, trying hard to determine what I can give (or do?) this year to make them happy. Maybe it’s a cute tin filled with of handmade chocolates. Or maybe it’s a promise to accompany her some sunny afternoon next summer for a drive in the country in her convertible with a stop at an ice cream store along the way. For me, approaching gift-giving this way makes it a bit more fun!

Who’s on your list?