By Theyo Team
Sometimes it's really fun to give presents: the person receiving the gift gave the right clue, you accidentally found exactly the right thing and then you even did a really good job with the packaging. More often, however, gift ideas are a rare commodity. And that is exactly why we have put together some tips for you.
Sounds simple, but that's how it is. You should carefully consider this obvious question with every gift. Because maybe a gift is not appropriate or even exaggerated.
Ideally, gifts are there to make others happy. And – good news – there is generally (almost) never a bad time for a gift. Too often, however, the reason for giving presents is exaggerated: in the meantime, every second student has probably received a student cookbook at the beginning of their studies and the same, funny gifts are always piled up on milestone birthdays. Instead of standard gifts or bouquets of flowers, it can make sense to ask yourself whether a joint activity or a voucher for a bouquet of flowers - at the time of your choosing - could be a much better gift.
There are many established occasions when it is customary to give something. Christmas is of course at the top of the list of occasions, as well as birthdays, weddings, births or other religious holidays. And even if these celebrations have become almost routine, it is nevertheless important to give the recipient a particularly great present. By the way: there are also great alternatives for people who “already have everything”... but more on that later.
All over the world, religious celebrations are taken as an opportunity to give gifts to one another. According to a representative study by the consultancy EY, Germans are quite generous at Christmas: on average, they spend over €280 on Christmas presents, extrapolated to €18.4 billion a year. Most of the money is earmarked for the immediate family. If you are unsure whether to give your colleagues something this year, there is a simple trick. Ask your colleagues ;-) - it saves everyone involved unnecessary stress and time.
Instead of grand gestures, most people are already looking forward to a phone call, a card or an SMS. Even people who don't care about their birthdays are happy to receive a nice greeting. And beyond? Think about the relationship you have with the "birthday child". Are you close and know everything about each other? Do you want to spend more time with the person in the future? Or was the person just having a hard time and you want to make her happy? If you can answer one of these questions with "yes", then nothing stands in the way of a gift.
While a gift for the Day of Repentance and Prayer may be a little unusual, holidays are generally a good time to get creative. Sure, a monthly ice cream subscription for National Ice Cream Day (July 19th, by the way) might be a bit over the top. Nevertheless, such a holiday is a nice opportunity to go out for an ice cream together . And while we're on the subject of the really important holidays: a chocolate tasting box for International Chocolate Day - September 13th - is of course a must anyway ;-) !
As already mentioned, people at certain stages of life often receive gifts that are always similar. And instead of giving the third student cookbook as a gift, it often makes more sense to put yourself in the position of the recipient. What does the person really need? For a student, would a basic set of condiments or a pressure cooker be a better choice? And would the friend in the hospital prefer something sensible to eat instead of another bouquet of flowers? Here, too, it is often helpful and sensible to ask the recipient directly.
Sometimes the best moment to give something is when there is no reason. It doesn't always have to be a "real" gift: a nice Post-It, flowers you picked yourself or your current favorite book. Small gestures in everyday life just make life nicer!
By the way: especially in times of Corona, the best gift ideas are often the ones where you spend time together. A coffee walk together, gardening together or a digital quiz evening could be much more fun than another book.
The most important question: do you need a gift?
Sounds simple, but that's how it is. You should carefully consider this obvious question with every gift. Because maybe a gift is not appropriate or even exaggerated.
And almost as exciting: why do you "need" a present?
Ideally, gifts are there to make others happy. And – good news – there is generally (almost) never a bad time for a gift. Too often, however, the reason for giving presents is exaggerated: in the meantime, every second student has probably received a student cookbook at the beginning of their studies and the same, funny gifts are always piled up on milestone birthdays. Instead of standard gifts or bouquets of flowers, it can make sense to ask yourself whether a joint activity or a voucher for a bouquet of flowers - at the time of your choosing - could be a much better gift.
When do you give?
There are many established occasions when it is customary to give something. Christmas is of course at the top of the list of occasions, as well as birthdays, weddings, births or other religious holidays. And even if these celebrations have become almost routine, it is nevertheless important to give the recipient a particularly great present. By the way: there are also great alternatives for people who “already have everything”... but more on that later.
Gift occasions and gift ideas
Religious festival
All over the world, religious celebrations are taken as an opportunity to give gifts to one another. According to a representative study by the consultancy EY, Germans are quite generous at Christmas: on average, they spend over €280 on Christmas presents, extrapolated to €18.4 billion a year. Most of the money is earmarked for the immediate family. If you are unsure whether to give your colleagues something this year, there is a simple trick. Ask your colleagues ;-) - it saves everyone involved unnecessary stress and time.
Birthday
Instead of grand gestures, most people are already looking forward to a phone call, a card or an SMS. Even people who don't care about their birthdays are happy to receive a nice greeting. And beyond? Think about the relationship you have with the "birthday child". Are you close and know everything about each other? Do you want to spend more time with the person in the future? Or was the person just having a hard time and you want to make her happy? If you can answer one of these questions with "yes", then nothing stands in the way of a gift.
(Inter)national holiday
While a gift for the Day of Repentance and Prayer may be a little unusual, holidays are generally a good time to get creative. Sure, a monthly ice cream subscription for National Ice Cream Day (July 19th, by the way) might be a bit over the top. Nevertheless, such a holiday is a nice opportunity to go out for an ice cream together . And while we're on the subject of the really important holidays: a chocolate tasting box for International Chocolate Day - September 13th - is of course a must anyway ;-) !
New period of my life
As already mentioned, people at certain stages of life often receive gifts that are always similar. And instead of giving the third student cookbook as a gift, it often makes more sense to put yourself in the position of the recipient. What does the person really need? For a student, would a basic set of condiments or a pressure cooker be a better choice? And would the friend in the hospital prefer something sensible to eat instead of another bouquet of flowers? Here, too, it is often helpful and sensible to ask the recipient directly.
No reason
Sometimes the best moment to give something is when there is no reason. It doesn't always have to be a "real" gift: a nice Post-It, flowers you picked yourself or your current favorite book. Small gestures in everyday life just make life nicer!
By the way: especially in times of Corona, the best gift ideas are often the ones where you spend time together. A coffee walk together, gardening together or a digital quiz evening could be much more fun than another book.
