Let’s face it men: you have a bad reputation for being poor gift givers. Once upon a time in history, a man gave a woman a vacuum cleaner for her birthday and – WHAM! – a general consensus was born that men suck at giving gifts.
It’s doubtful that you’re reading this article because you have nothing better to do, so let’s cut to the chase and define the basics of picking great gifts for the women in your life. And because we know that this the absolute last thing on earth you want to be doing right now, we’ve included bold headings to get you through it quickly.
Ready? Set. Go!
Show her that you know what she likes and care enough to give it to her.
The whole point of gift giving is to acknowledge the person receiving the gift. And what woman doesn’t want to be acknowledged by a man she loves -romantically or platonically?
Let’s say you’re buying a gift for your girlfriend who is really into cooking and reading books when she has down time. It’s not enough to think: woman = cooking or woman = books. Think: this woman = loves to read + loves to cook = a copy of Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl. A gift like this shows that you pay attention to what she enjoys and you put some thought into what type of gift reflects those things.
If she ASKED for a home appliance, you CAN gift it.
But if she didn’t ask, or she hasn’t been whining about a broken this or that – steer clear. Chances are she’ll feel that the gift is impersonal. Unless she is a total kitchen geek or raves about the benefits of steam cleaners, go for something a little more fun and fitting to what she enjoys to do in her free time. Another alternative: get her an appliance that does the work FOR her. Our favorite is the iRobot Roomba that does the vacuuming while we sit with our feet up. (Seriously, we’re in love with this thing.)
Wrap it like a four year-old – she’ll love it.
Crisp, clean wrapping paper is pretty, but that’s not the point. Women enjoy knowing that you’ve attempted to properly present their gifts. It shows added care and thought (are you seeing a theme??) So whether you buy a simple gift bag (get one that comes with matching tissue paper and be sure to remove the price tag) or actually use wrapping paper, tape, and ribbon, she’ll be impressed. An imperfect, slightly crumpled or torn wrapping job says, ‘I may not know what I’m doing, but I cared enough to try.’ Score. Include a card for extra brownie points.
Keep the receipt!
Whether you think you’ve hit it out of the park or you’re questioning your judgement, keep her options open. Maybe she loves the gift but would prefer a different color. Maybe the size is wrong or she already has one of those. Either way, you did your best and you want her to be happy. Let her know that you have the receipt if she wants to exchange the gift for something else.
Gift cards are acceptable – if properly thought out.
Yes, gift cards are great. Everyone loves to get cash and be able to spend it on whatever they want. But if giving cash was all you wanted to do, then you’d just slip a $50 bill into a Hallmark and call it a day. Gift cards however, give you an opportunity to say, ‘I know where you like to shop and I’m thrilled to contribute to your next spree.’ That said, put some thought into the most appropriate store for her and give a card to that specific store. Remember: it’s not about quantity ($25 vs. $50 denomination), but quality (a card from a retailer she’ll love)
One of the most important things you can do is give yourself time to find the right gift. Put a reminder in your phone for at least two weeks before you have to give the gift. This will give you time to think of the best gift option, shop for it, and allow for shipping (if applicable.) Waiting until the last minute and buying the closest thing within reach will put stress on you and probably won’t put a smile on her face.