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Everyone loves giving a gift when you know you have something your recipients going to love! But sometimes it's a nightmare - what sort of thing is appropriate, will it convey the right sentiment, how much do you have to spend?
But the old adage 'it's the thought that counts' really is true. For the best ideas - check our site - all the products and ideas are 'pre-verified browniepoints-earning' gifts. For additional tips and tricks and some nice things to do to make someone's day read on... ..
Results of our 'Best and worst gifts received' survey
Who are you buying for?
What occasion are you buying for?
- Wrapping and presentation is very important with this age group - putting their name somewhere on the package!
- You can't go wrong with educational gifts that stimulate the little ones.
- A homemade idea is making them a giant biscuit that's all for them. Making it in the shape of their initials is even cooler.
- For trendy gifts - ask around kids of the same age and you'll soon find out the latest fad. Stuff they can make is also really good to get their brains and creative juices going.
- Make them a birthday treat voucher - a trip to the zoo, a dinner cooked up of whatever food they want (they get to pick their goodies in the groceries!) or movie tickets with their fave junk food meal afterwards.
- Make up a 'Rugby or Cricket or... ... Match Kit' - a voucher to go and see a game, along with a supporter's hat, badges, poster and sachets of tomato sauce (for the compulsory at-the-game hot dog!) Cool. You'll be the best auntie/uncle/mum/dad/older-person-to-idol ever!
- Find out their interests and passions (surfing, music, hair & fashion... ?) and get them something related to that.
- Safe classics or practical items that they can keep for later (when they might get more interested!) are always good bets. For example a classic book, a toilet bag, or a multitool.
Many of the classic gifts for women are things that involve you knowing her tastes pretty well. Things you can't go wrong with include:
- A pamper hamper - with potions and lotions for pampering are always well received, especially if she doesn't usually splash out on herself.
- What sort of cuisine does she like? Italian, Thai... .? Get a selection of gourmet goodies from the selected country, some specialist equipment and a cookbook to match.
- A voucher for breakfast in bed or candlelit dinner for two is a goodie (just make sure you actually do it, and you can't just settle on boring cereal!) Or give her a massage or foot rub, paint her toenails, give her 3 hours of babysitting time - something you know she'll appreciate.
Yep - they can be really hard to buy for, but have a good think about the interests he's into (fishing rods / camelback / binoculars?), or what he needs practicality wise (a stylish bathrobe?) Or there's the old faithful - getting to his heart through his stomach!
- If he's usually really busy - get him to relax by giving him a hammock, or a good book.
- For the connoisseur's - what about a quality cheese knife, or an espresso machine?
- Vouchers to weed the garden, mow lawns, a night out at the movies or an outing to a sports game are always pretty hard to beat.
- Creating memories with events are a pretty good bet - check out our range of 'Experiences'
- Gourmet goodies they can share
- Photo frames or albums with special photos
- Try some of the free ideas under our other headings
- Consider the interests of the recipient (cars, sports... ) and what are they doing (leaving home, studying... )
- It could be as good time to pass on a family heirloom - a book or piece of jewellery
- A photo album for people to sign and add snapshots is a really cool idea for mementos of the occasion, especially if you can't be there - they can share it all with you later!
- They may already have a lot of stuff so you'll need to have a think about things they can add to their personal collections of china, silver, jewellery, music, books etc.
- Re-label some bottles of champers or a case of their favourite wine to mark the occasion - every time they open them they'll be reminded about their special occasion.
- A special gift embroidered with their name.
- A photo album for people to sign and add snapshots is a really cool idea for mementos of the occasion, especially if you can't be there - they can share it all with you later!
- The classics include lingerie, pj's, bathrobes and jewellery.
- For something personal try a romantic breakfast or dinner voucher (either out or a romantic night in) , a weekend away, or a CD made up of favourite songs.
- mmmmm chocolate. And eggs. What about an Easter egg hunt with clues around the backyard (you're never too old for one of those!) Or an 'I'll cook you any eggs you like' voucher for brekkie.
- A chocoholics basket is a good idea for your favourite chocoholic!
- A great day to tell mum just how fab she is. The best thing you can give her is your time. Surprise her by turning up first thing with all the ingredients to make her breakfast in bed, or take her out for a nice lunch.
- Gourmet treats and pampering goodies always go down well. As do vouchers for experiences. Or something for one of their hobbies - a quality mortar & pestle for the foodies or an espresso maker for the coffee connoisseur.
- You can't let an opportunity like April fools day pass by without acting the goat. Basically the sillier the gift the better.
- Good old dad - it's time to treat him. With what? Fathers can be pretty hard to buy for. The best thing is your time - take him out for a round of golf, or to a rugby game. Check out our experiences range for other ideas.
- Indulge one of his hobbies - golf gadgets, fishing gear, gourmet devices... . Or books are always a favourite.
- Buy what they need and want, not what tradition says is the 'right' thing.
- Classic gifts are glass, silver, linen and china but other ideas include: picnic hampers, BBQ items, monogrammed quality towels or his 'n her aprons for the entertainers (see our robes and towels), art or one off pieces are sentimental (but make sure you know their taste!), quality bed linen is always good (especially as it can be the sort of stuff you wouldn't buy yourself when you're just starting out), photo albums or frames. For the couple with everything - how about an experience gift? It can be one of their first memories for their life as husband and wife!
- In the middle of boxes and cleaning if you turn up with a bottle of champers and a lunch or dinner sorted you'll be a hero!
- A traditional gift is something for the house - but if it's a do-er upper - a photo album to track progress is a cool idea.
- A voucher for babysitting, a cooked dinner, or a couple of frozen dinners for the freezer, or a morning out shopping or getting her haircut may be well appreciated.
- Photo albums, books, baby journals, clothing or educational toys are always popular and useful gifts.
- The traditional and modern gifts associated with each anniversary are below. Think laterally. Cotton - could be a nice outfit, bronze - could be the colour of the card attached to a cooler present... you get the idea! (HINT: the sixth anniversary gift does NOT mean a clothes iron, and browniepoints.co.nz will take no responsibility for loss of browniepoints resulting from this purchase).
| Anniversary | Traditional Gift | Modern Gift | | First | Paper | Clocks | | Second | Cotton | China | | Third | Leather | Crystal / Glass | | Fourth | Fruit / Flowers | Appliances | | Fifth | Wood | Silverware | | Sixth | Candy / Iron | Wood | | Seventh | Wool / Copper | Desk Sets | | Eighth | Bronze / Pottery | Linens / Lace | | Ninth | Pottery / Willow | Leather | | Tenth | Tin / Aluminum | Diamond Jewelry | | Eleventh | Steel | Fashion Jewelry | | Twelfth | Silk/Linen | Pearls | | Thirteenth | Lace | Textiles / Furs | | Fourteenth | Ivory | Gold Jewelry | | Fifteenth | Crystal | Watches | | Twentieth | China | Platinum | | Twenty-Fifth | Silver | Silver | | Thirtieth | Pearl | Diamond | | Thirty-Fifth | Coral | Jade | | Fortieth | Ruby | Ruby | | Forty-Fifth | Sapphire | Sapphire | | Fiftieth | Gold | Gold | | Fifty-Fifth | Emerald | Emerald | | Sixtieth | Diamond | Diamond |
- Finding out the persons plans an outlook on retirement is important then you can give them an appropriate gift. Try for a gift that's a one off as most people of retirement age have the classics.
- Ideas include; a kingfish lure set if they plan on doing more fishing, gardening gear, a reference book, travel items for a round the world trip, or launch them into retirement with something they've never done before with an experience voucher.
- You want to increase the persons comfort, ease boredom, or give joy. Your time is most important, or giving them a soothing massage, a selection of home made goodies, some meals for the freezer, or an outing for afternoon tea. Photographs of special people and albums may also be appreciated.
- A nice cushion, blanket or books are other ideas.
- Corporate gifts are excellent ways of showing appreciation of a customers business, increasing staff morale, and strengthening business relationships all round.
- Care needs to be taken that the gift is thoughtful enough, although not too personal (anything that would be found in a bedroom is a no-go!) Check out our gifts for business associates section for some ideas.
Here's some of the responses we liked best
Some of the worst gifts received...
- A pair of socks from my ex-boyfriend for my 21st!!
- Not possible, every gift is special, simply because somebody thought to do it!
- A glass apple. The thing looked like a grannie smith. Who in their right mind gives a 14 year old boy a glass apple for their birthday.
- When I was 14, at Christmas time from my uncle in Christchurch, I received a package containing 3 cellotape dispensers. It still had the price tag on it, and they were from The Warehouse, cost $1.69.
- The worst gift I ever received was for Christmas from my husband - a tacky plastic white toilet roll holder, and a pair of hedge clippers. I had spent days painting the toilet - and had ideas of something wrought iron and cool!
- Oversized nana underpants!
- An ornamental 'china' cookie jar complete with lid and fake Italian landscape plastered on it filled with stale cookies!
And some of the best gifts received...
- A 2 hour pamper session.
- My lovely wife getting my guitar restrung so I can show the world what a true rock star I am...
- Realising how lucky I am when l looked at all the friends at a recent suprise birthday party
- Robot Claw hand. Prolly came from the two dollar shop, but this thing rocked. Couldn't hold a stubbie, but could hold a can of lager. Great fun!
- The best gift I ever received was my first car. My dad got it and it lasted me almost all the way through uni, costing me hardly anything in repairs, and took me and my mates on many a road trip. The fun lasted until beginning of last year it was parked on the side of the road by the basin reserve and I woke up in the morning to find a boy racer had smashed into it, completely writing it off. I got $2000 back from insurance and a $300 cheque from the person that crashed into it for the inconvenience caused, all adding up to a lot more then the car was worth then, materially speaking.
- I used to be a coca-cola addict. For my 21st I received my very own coke tree. It was a sturdy tree with over 100 bottles of coke tied to it - it kept me going for months. It was potted and sitting in the lounge and everytime I wanted a coke I just picked one off the tree.
- 1: my engagement ring; 2: A voucher for a romantic night for two in a deluxe hotel.
- Diamond earrings!! More recently a good road bike.
Need some more help with a gift idea? Email us info@browniepoints.co.nz and we'll do our best to help!
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