The snow is starting to fall, cookies are in the oven, lights are twinkling, and you can even hear the jingle bells in the distance. You know that the holiday season is right around the corner. It’s time to start thinking about the gifts you’re going to give to friends and family.
Yet, you don’t want to stress about offending someone by giving them a gift.
Knowing the proper gift etiquettes can be challenging since there are so many unwritten rules. Following all of them can be a headache, but we’re here to help!
Be sure to keep reading our guide for five gift-giving etiquette rules that everyone should follow this holiday season.
1. Should You Give When You Receive?
A gift-giving etiquette question that many people tend to ask is if they should give a gift when they receive one. In most cases, when people decide to give you a gift, they’re doing it out of the kindness of their hearts. They’re not doing it because they expect to get a present in return from you.
If you’re feeling uneasy about getting a gift and not giving one back, then you could always keep generic gifts around for this occasion. These gifts could be candles, chocolates, or other small things that people you know might like.
You should make sure that your gifts are wrapped and ready to go. Doing so will be perfect in case you need to give a gift this holiday season.
2. Do You Have to Give to Everyone?
Some of the best gift-giving advice is that you should only give gifts to people that you feel that you want to.
You might have one or two people at work that you get along very well with. Perhaps you have lunch together with them or bond over similar interests. These are people that you feel like you want to give gifts to.
If you’re concerned about gift-giving etiquette at work, then you might think that if you’re giving a few people a gift, everyone should get one. Doing this is not the case.
Instead, you should make sure to give your gifts discreetly as to not upset anyone else at work, but you don’t have to give to everyone. Try to give your gifts when you’re alone rather than in front of coworkers who might feel excluded.
3. Should You Price Match a Gift?
When someone gives you a gift, you might worry about matching the price of their gift. Yet, if it’s an expensive or over the top gift, then this could be out of your budget.
Price matching is not a requirement when you give a gift. It doesn’t matter who the person is.
Instead, you should think about the thought the goes into choosing a gift. Especially when deciding what to give back to the person, you need to remember that it is the thought that counts.
Plus, you have no idea how to decide how much an item costs when you receive a gift. The gift-giver may have gotten an exceptionally good deal on your gift, or it could even be a regifted item.
The price shouldn’t matter as long as you get a gift that you think the person will sincerely enjoy.
4. Can You Give a Gift Card?
On our guide to gift-giving, you might be looking for ways that you can give money to a person you know. Sometimes finding a gift is stressful, and it might be easier to let that person pick out their present. Yet, giving money isn’t as personal as choosing a gift for someone.
One way to make your gift a little more personal is by giving a gift card. Choosing a gift card to their favorite store means more to them than a handful of cash. There are gift card etiquette rules you can follow as well!
Make sure that the amount you put on the gift card is suited for the person, but don’t go out of your budget. People you know very well are going to have higher amounts on their gift cards than people you know casually.
You should remember that giving gift cards takes out the fun of gift wrapping your presents! You might be able to find a fun card to give your gift card in, but one of the joys that many people have is opening a gift.
5. Are Homemade Gifts Appropriate?
Another type of gift that you might be wondering about giving is a homemade gift. Some people might think that they can’t give homemade gifts because they didn’t spend any money on them. Yet, that is not true.
Many homemade gifts require materials, time, and effort. This can all cost us a lot of money and time!
When deciding if you should give a homemade gift this holiday season, then go for it. Homemade gifts are very personal because the person receiving the gift will know that you thought of them when making it.
You can also personalize homemade gifts for the person that you’re giving them to. If you’re making jewelry, then you can make a certain color or style for the person that you want to give it to.
When you give a homemade gift, you’re showing that you are extra thoughtful this holiday season. We all know that there are tons of different things going on, so having the time to make something can be difficult.
Giving a homemade gift should be no different than going out and purchasing something from the store.
Knowing the Proper Gift Etiquettes
Giving gifts should be a way to show appreciation and shouldn’t cause you to stress this holiday season. If you’re still concerned, then following our gift etiquettes guide can help reduce your nerves when giving a gift.
Whether you’re planning to give to friends, family, coworkers, or anyone else in your life, then you can give with confidence.
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