How to give gifts that wow: the ultimate guide

The secret to giving a memorable gift? Sitting back for ten minutes and thinking about the recipient - what brightens their day, what they're passionate about and what they'll actually use. That's where the fun really begins.

What makes a good gift?  

A good gift is all about sparking joy! The emotion linked to gift-giving is much more permanent than the gift itself.

Think about gifts you’ve received (and given) that stand out in your memory - what is it about them that was so special? 

You likely remember the gift not because of what it was, exactly, but because of how it made you feel. Recognising that someone has spent the time and effort thinking about a gift you’d actually like - instead of seeing it as a tick box activity - is at the heart of it. We know it’s a cliché, but it really is the thought that counts… 

Thoughtfulness is key 

Our 2024 gift-giving survey found that 82% of people believe thoughtfulness is the most important part of receiving a gift*, ahead of effort, uniqueness, practicality and cost. 

The word 'thoughtful' is thrown around a lot in gift-giving, but what counts as a thoughtful gift? It’s often considered a narrow niche of nostalgic, sentimental things, but this limits your options. Anything can be a thoughtful gift: it simply has to match the person that you’re buying for.

This sounds simple, but it often isn't! The realities of matching a gift to a specific person, especially someone who’s difficult to buy for, is much harder. So, we’ve put together some practical tips to find a gift that shows you care...

How to find a thoughtful gift 

There are three distinct ways to think about gift-giving: 

1. Match hobbies and interests

2. Reflect shared memories and experiences

3. Rise to the occasion

The harder the recipient is to buy for the more you’ll have to dig - but follow this framework and you’ll think of something (however long it takes):

1. Match hobbies and interests 

An obvious place to start with gift-giving is the hobbies and interests of the recipient. Think about what they do in their spare time, what they’d like to do more of and what you’ve previously done together. 

To make a great gift out of someone’s hobbies and interests, though, you might have to think outside the box. If they like football, don’t just buy them another shirt, buy them some memorabilia of their favourite team or stadium from way back when. Use their interests as a springboard for ideas; don’t just buy the first gift you think of.

2. Reflect shared memories and experiences

This is one of the most fun and effective techniques for choosing a gift.  It starts with a brainstorm - of your most treasured memories with the person, of the times you’ve laughed (or cried) most together. If you’re not particularly close, think about conversations you’ve had and what came of them. 

Then comes the challenging bit - turning these ideas into thoughtful gifts. Where were you in those moments that stuck? What was the highlight of the day? 

The goal from asking these questions is to find a theme that you can work with for a gift. You can take the theme in whatever direction you like, but basing it off personal memories makes the gift all the better.

3. Rise to the occasion

It’s also worth taking a step back to think about why you’re buying the present in the first place - you can personalise a gift based on the occasion, as well as the recipient.

Wedding anniversaries, for example, lend themselves to nostalgic gifts such as photo frames or candle holders. University gifts, on the other hand, tend to be more practical, such as stylish notebooks and storage tins. 

The occasion can give us a better idea of what direction to take - it shows you’re thinking, just in a slightly different way. 

Think outside the box

Whether it’s your in-laws (voted the hardest people to buy for by 25% of people in our gift-giving survey)*, colleagues or partners some people are simply harder to buy for than others. So much so that they deserve a category all to themselves. 

This often stems from not wanting anymore stuff, which leaves two routes to go down: the practical and the sentimental. There will be something they need - from home essentials to niche accessories for their favourite sport, find a gap to fill to serve a purpose with your gift. 

The alternative is the sentimental. Is there a gift that will remind them of their childhood? Or the early days with their partner? Even if we claim not to want anything, everyone likes gifts that prompt fond memories - they’re not really about the gift, after all. 

Questions to consider

Once you’ve considered gifts by each category and gathered a few gift ideas, ask yourself the following three questions to narrow it down further. The better the answers, the better the gift:

• What makes this gift right for the recipient? 

• How does the gift demonstrate how well you know them?

• In what way will it add meaning to their life? 

Enjoy the process!

There's a lot of different ideas in this blog - but don’t panic! It’s actually pretty simple: you just need to think about the recipient in multiple different ways. If it’s someone you love, that should be a fun starting point. 

If you’re struggling to find the right gift, remember how satisfying it is when you realise, instantly, you’ve struck gold. So take your time, be patient, and have faith in the (thought) process. It’ll all be worth it for that smile on the day!

Check out our gift-giving survey results.

Find the perfect gift from Rex London, the home of gift-giving since 1981.