Gifting in relationships can be a challenge.
Valentine’s Day is approaching. You’re in a loving relationship and you want to get your partner the perfect gift. It can be hard to find something that shows the extent of your love and appreciation without breaking the bank. On the other hand, if you choose something generic, the intent could be misread. Either way, experience shows that Valentine’s Day gifts often don’t live up to expectations. A survey from Self Financial showed that 86% of those in relationships believe their partner will know what they want, but only 38.4% have actually communicated what is. The last thing any relationship needs is more stress. Psychologists suggest that communication and trust is the best way to avoid dissatisfaction or disappointment. So, how can you communicate with your loved ones about what you might want to receive as a gift?
To answer this question, let’s take a closer look at gifting. There are two sides of gift giving. There is the giver, who is attempting to choose a gift that will delight and surprise the recipient. And there is the receiver, who is hoping to get something that is at least thoughtful, hopefully useful, and, in the best of all worlds, both. The gap that exists between these two objectives is where the pitfalls typically occur. So to improve our gifting outcomes, we should seek to close that gap. How can you do that?
Obviously talking to your loved one is a great way to communicate what you want. But, we know that sometimes there is an awkwardness that comes with explicitly asking someone (anyone) for what we want. Perhaps we skirt the issue, or lie, and say we don’t want anything. Most of us have experienced some version of this interaction. So, is there an alternative? We think there is.
Have you ever considered using a Gift List to help any gift giver in your life (significant other, spouse, friends, mom/dad) find the perfect gift for you?
An always-on, any-occasion gift list is truly the perfect solution for helping your loved ones and friends to always get you what you want. Whether it’s an upcoming commercial holiday like Valentine’s Day, a housewarming, or just a surprise random gifting event, which a recent poll of Americans points out is our favorite way to receive gifts. A gift list of this type does two things which greatly improves the gifting experience for both parties - effectively removing the gap we mentioned above.
FOR YOU: When you create a gift list, you are thoughtfully choosing items that you personally want. Things that clearly align with your values, personality and interests. No one has to guess what you like - you know what you like. Your choices are likely both thoughtful - you’ve given some significant thought to what you like - and useful - as you’d probably not include items on your list that you won’t use.
FOR OTHERS A gift list makes giving a gift that will delight the receiver a whole lot easier. Online gift lists provide the creator the ability to choose sizes, colors, stores and any other variable you can think of. The lists link directly to the store where the giver can find the item - making it much easier to ultimately purchase it either online or in store. Online gift lists are also searchable - that means if you have one with MyRegistry people can visit our site, search for your name, and find your gift list. They don’t need to ask you, and you don’t need to share it - they just need to know you have one.
Which brings us back to Valentine’s Day. Does your Valentine know what you want?
This year, why not try creating an always-on Gift Lift. It could help you make the gifting experience more thoughtful for you and easier for the giver, all while removing the gifting expectation gap and avoiding disappointment.
And, if you’re not into Valentine’s Day, but want to celebrate the friends in your life or singlehood - a Gift List still works - no matter what the occasion is.
Happy Gifting!