Not sure, if you have heard, but during Christmas- when we receive gifts- our parents used to say- "It is the thought that counts and none more!"
Sure, when you get a gift – it is appreciably a wonderful deed on the part of the one who bought the gift for you. But. If that gift was something which proved to be of no use to you- then what would you do?
Make a face or grumble! Well, in my kiddo stage.. I did those sort of things, but later on- I was tuned to accepting what reached my lil hands. Even the gift boxes had to dust away – I was taught to accept everything with goodness.
X'Mas Must Knows: The Magic of Christmas
Now, let move a few years ahead and stop by the recent days. A few interesting researches came by and they say there is a science behind the art of gifting!
Heard about such a fact earlier? I have never thought about gifting from that angle of thought, so figured out that I might as well these tidbits of knowledge with you.
Advantages of this research:
Now you don’t pick anything hat you like alone, you choose what the receiver will love!
Science teaches the psychology behind the art of choosing a good gift for that special one!
Last, your task of deciding that ‘gift’ will be made simpler, if you look at things from a scientific eye.
Okay, here you can un-open 7 Gifts to read – and that will help choose the right gift for the right person. Get cracking the Gifted Puzzle!
Secret 1: Gift Yourself to Pick Right!
How to make a gift count to someone? It is difficult, coz firstly, the shops are flooded with options. Secondly, you aren’t really sure of what they would like! Sounds convincing? Well, then what is the solutions?
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison they felt that the gifts that are bought should count for the receiver. If so, how would that possible?
Of course, every person buys to ensure that the receiver would like it- but sadly that is not the case at all times.
So, how can you take the right gift pick?
Well, the researchers say that to know if your gift will be appreciated, you need to receive a gift like that.
Treat yourself with thoughts of gifts that would like to get this Christmas.
Walk around the malls and figure out the options.
Then if your eyes fall on something – you have always loved- buy and gift it yourself.
See how happy you are and the research claims that most of time- the receiver will also love your choice!
Nip your thought: In short, if you happen to like the gift, and if it something you would have found beautiful and useful- then this gift is something the other person would also like.
Secret 2: Attach those emotional strings to your gift
In general, when we gift anything at all to someone- we imagine the value it will have to the person who gets it. This could be in terms of monetary or even in terms of social recognition. But, the story in this aspect- is only half read and understood.
Gifting reactions was a topic of interest at the Society of Consumer Psychology. The topics was obviously gifting friends and family. But what was the criteria of selecting a gift?
They spotted out that sentiments play a great role in gift picking. It is daunting, but yeah- a lil bit of thought can bring smiles on to the person’s face.
The est showed that most of the time, people do not receive the gifts they yearn for. So, why are they missign that or why are they not getting what they want?
Nip your thought: Research proves that gifts that offer a sentimental inclination to the receiver- will be a better gift than gifting something that is valued – just through the looks! For this, place the receiver’s interests before the purchase and then choose the gift.
VANCOUVER, Dec. 26, 2016 - Residents shop on boxing day in Vancouver, Canada, Dec. 26, 2016. Boxing Day is one of the biggest shopping days of the year in Canada.
Secret 3: The Presenter’s Paradox
A weird but depressing truth that every person who gifts will know.
A point that the researchers at Virginia Tech felt was that when you gift anyone – try to give them one solid expensive gift rather a couple of cheaper gifts.
For example, they suggested two cases. In one case, we can gift a cashmere sweater and in the second case we can gift a sweater and also a $10 gift card.
But do you what happens?
The paradox is that the person will always prefer you giving that one single sweater. The moment you add on that extra gift card- it makes you look cheap. The person in most cases never appreciates this gesture.
Nip your thought: Don’t overdo your gifting techniques. One decent gift with use and sentimental value is more than enough. Your over concern could spoil relations and you don’ want that!
Secret 4: Understand Gifting between the lines
From the above points, you may have figured out many points. But there is more to this line of gifting tradition.
At the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, the studies pointed out that there is lot to think before gifting that special present and also receiving it.
When a gift is exchanges, it reveals the manner in which people think for others, the amount of care and respect they give the recipient and so on.
Research shows that gifts can also have a positive or negative impact on the relationship of people.
For instance, a picky person is hard to deal with. So, choosing a gift for them- is also a hurricane task.
In most cases, people do not like to offend them and therefore will some voucher, gift cards and the like to picky personalities.
This would help them avoid the fear of doubt – the doubt whether their choice would be liked at all by people.
The problem is that people never think what the person would like, but they give a gift with the mindset- that a friendship should never go stale.
Nip your thought: Think what you like to give, think what would be useful for them and that will be the best gift they would ever have got!
Secret 5: Heard about the Perfect Gift Dilemma?
How do you select a gift? Some of you may think that the gift should one of a kind, some think that they should be use and cherish it for years to come and well, the last group- do gift anyone at all – for the name and fame associated with it.
Whatever be the case, most of time, we as gift buyers will not end up buying the ‘perfect’ gift for the person we have in mind.
This according to the research at Journal of Consumer Research, i was found there needs to be a little bit of speculation as to what gift is best for them.
A gift ceremony or an ambience is joyful- a time when one party anticipates what they may get, while the other figures out how the receiver will react when they get the gift.
So, to give the best of joy, happiness and surprises- the buyer often tends to purchase a gift that may ‘look good’ but not be ‘practically good’.
Nip your thought: Before you buy something, see how useful it may be for you. Then see if it something that the gift recipient will like. For example, if your family or friend does not like Chinese food, and you give them a special gift treat to a Chinese restaurant- you think they would relish it? Maybe not!
BRUSSELS, Dec. 24, 2014 - Photo taken on Dec. 10, 2014 shows chocolate at Pierre Marcolini Chocolate Store in Brussels, Belgium.
Secret 6: Gift in cricket style! And your partner will be by your side!
Yeah, for Christmas we give a lot of stuff, but this one research really boggled me out!
I think, you might as well you this technique for your date, wedding anniversary or even on Valentine’s Day.
If the way to a man’s heart is food, you would also like to know- that irrespective of gender- food is one attractive step to blossom new relationships or even nurture old relationships.
At the University of Exeter , a rather weird research was conducted and this is how it goes!
The research was conducted on crickets, yeah those insects!
During the mating season- when edible gifts were fed by the male partner to the female- this increase more love and intensity in their mating process.
Mentally, this is said to make the partner happy and that will strengthen the relationship,
Now back to the human breed, well they suggest if gifts include lovely chocolates- the relations could improve a lot more. This is especially beneficial to influence your partner if you are courting someone!
Nip your thought: Next time, you need to gift your special friend- give them anything special like a dress, and plus feed them with their favourite chocolate. If they are not a choco- lover- then choose any other dessert that they love!
Secret 7: Maybe 'the moment' is a false hype!
There are a lot of errors that gift givers have committed over the past years. In fact, the basic problem- we feel to analyze what might actually be liked and appreciated by the receiver.
At the Association for Psychological Science , they found that when we select gifts for the holiday season- we tend put a lot of thought for the moment of opening the gift!
They say that you don't need to put an overvalue to it, as that so called moment is not with it. If your gift is not liked – then the moment may never happen at all.
Instead, direct your ideas on the practicality of the gift. That would be useful for them.
Nip your thought: More than digging your head for that moment, choose a gift that is useful for them- such that they remember you for a lifetime.
