In one of my previous pieces, I was trying to convey the idea of attempting new things to fully comprehend the behind the scenes and grasp how difficult something may be.
This inspired me to provide the opportunity for anyone willing to try something new, in this case… blog writing! That way, this person is going to have the chance to portray the ideas they would like to share with the world and to experience the art of blog writing.
Jawaher decided to take up the challenge and provide us with a piece of her own. I personally believe in self-introductions rather than being introduced, so anything after this paragraph is all Jawaher!
Introduction:
Hello, it’s me Jawaher! I am a 19 year-old-college student trying to navigate through my intense college schedule and life’s demands. But in the midst of it all, I find joy in reading, writing and creating. So when this opportunity came knocking, I couldn\’t resist giving it a go. And voila! Writing this blog post has proven to be incredibly enjoyable, so I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
The Subtle Art of Gift Giving
When you want to make sure someone feels appreciated, when you want to celebrate someone or rather celebrate their achievements, or when words simply fail you, you often resort to gift giving. I view gift giving as an art and I think that it’s a wonderful idea that we as humans collectively decided to incorporate gift giving into our lives. Here, I’ll tell you exactly why I view it as such and how you can perfect the subtle art of gift giving.
The Rules
First, let us set some ground rules first, shall we?
- Never give someone a gift only because they had previously gifted you something.
- Never give someone a gift expecting something in return.
- Always have a reasonable budget for your gift, and never go overboard.
- Do not limit gift giving to specific celebratory occasions.
- Do not make the process of gift giving stressful, and take it easy.
I think the #1 and #2 are pretty self-explanatory, always give because you want to give, not because you feel you owe someone something. Second, don’t give with the expectation of being given something back. This is a gift, not a transaction.
#3 is an important one, set a reasonable budget and deal with it! When I say reasonable I mean it, the financial aspect of a gift is important, but it is not everything. You can create a perfect gift with a low budget, and a well-thought-out plan. From my point of view, a thoughtfully planned gift is much better than an ordinary expensive gift. When you spend a lot on a gift, but the gift has no value to the person, you are only gifting yourself the attention that comes with giving someone an expensive gift.
#4. Who said you have to have an occasion to give someone something? Well take it from me, you don’t! And random surprise gifts can truly turn someone\’s day around. If you miss someone\’s birthday by a long shot, don’t give them a gift 6 months later and write happy birthday on the card, give them the gift as a random gift. You don’t need an excuse to give someone something.
#5 is a given, but it is so important I had to make it one of the rules. If gift-giving is stressful for you, if you’re not sure what to get, if you feel like you’re forcing yourself to think of gift ideas, or if you’re struggling with your budget, then you should probably stop. Stop totally or opt for a simple gift, like chocolate and candy (you can never go wrong with that). Gift giving should always be an easy process. Think of it this way, the person you want to give the gift to probably would not like it if you were stressed out about making them a gift, and most likely they just care about the thought.
The Art
Now that we have the rules set in stone let\’s talk about the art of gifting! I personally do not like to give people things I know they want, I prefer giving a gift that I think they’d want. For that to work, you need to know the person and know their interests and then base a gift on that interest. For example: if someone is interested in drawing/painting you can get them a calligraphy pen, so they can try out calligraphy too. Here, the person likes to draw so I thought they might enjoy calligraphy too.
Handmade gifts are also a way to make a gift artful and special, if you have the skills to make someone something, you should do it. Handmade things don’t stop at physical items, they can be a song, a video, a letter, etc. I think this is an amazing way to put your talents to the test, it also won’t cost you much, but it will mean a lot to the person receiving it. While we are on the subject, gifts don’t need to be tangible objects, they can also be an experience, like a trip, an outing, or even a spa day. For example: if a person is interested in music, you can book them music lessons.
Last thing I want to talk about and the cherry on top is wrapping up your gift. After you’ve done all the work of thinking about and creating the perfect gift, you must present it nicely. Whether you put it in a box, a bag, or wrap it in paper, just make sure it looks like art. You get extra points if you get creative with it, and incorporate an extra gift within the wrapping itself. Example: you can wrap a gift with a scarf or a piece of fabric, that way the person can use it for something else (also this way you are being green and not wasting paper!).
To wrap it up, the art in gift giving is making someone feel seen and heard, it is surprising someone when they least expect it, and it is having fun creating something and feeling proud of it, as it will make someone\’s day. I encourage every single one of you to give meaningful gifts and to perfect the subtle art of gift giving.