The quest for a suitable item to gift, and then a short period of suspense after handing it over, it's quite a natural phase we all have to go through when it comes to gifts and presents.
The options seem boundless when we are not assigned to a task of finding a convenient gift for someone. But, when we suddenly do have to come up with an idea or gift, all those interesting and very "unique" ideas of ours just seem to run for the hills.
Well, that's how it is for me at least.
And that is why over the years according to a few types of occasions and events, I've managed to pin down and solidify quite a few reliable items that I prefer to gift people.
A few classic options and items that never fail, probably never will. Gifts that minimize the tension by a bit, helping you go through the "gifting" phase with a little hint of confidence. The suspense after you've delivered the gift doesn't last too long either, while it also saves you a ton of time when you're on your gift-hunt journeys.
ᴵᵐᵃᵍᵉˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵒᵛᵉʳᵃˡˡ ᶜᵒⁿᵗᵉⁿᵗ ᵃʳᵉ ᵐʸ ᵒʷⁿ ᵘⁿˡᵉˢˢ ᶦᵗ'ˢ ᵐᵉⁿᵗᶦᵒⁿᵉᵈ
You have to love how simple life used to be when we were kids, even when it came to choosing gifts for a friend.
The pocket money that you've saved up over the past few weeks would be enough to get a proper gift for a friend or family member. It may have not been a piece that would last a lifetime, but a dose of the cheap thrills would take hold of the moment, and those moments and events are then cherished forever.
My go-to gift items back then would always be an Axe body spray for the boys and chocolate for the girls haha. It was easy as that. But as we grow older, it becomes quite a difficult task to scour through the endless options and lists of gift items.
Then we also have our festive events, Eid being the most important for us Muslims.
Fortunately, Eid gifts/presents are quite simple. The youngsters are given a brand new bill or a few bills of a certain amount, which is known as Eidi or Eid Salami. And if you're invited to someone's house then the combo of sweets and fruits is all you need.
Birthday gifts are on a whole different level though, it just becomes repetitive at one point. So standing out with an unique gift every year becomes quite a difficult task.
Luckily, my friends and family don't like to hype up their birthdays, nor do they expect something fancy or unique for every event and year. That is why nowadays the gift-giving anxiety is almost non-existent for me.
However, even if something pops up all of a sudden, then I do have a little list prepared.
The most reliable option has always been a good fragrance/perfume of some sorts, for both men and women. If you know where to look, then the options are endless. Yes, the quality stuff isn't really cheap, but there are still some affordable options. Davidoff, Jaguar, Nautica, Perry Ellis, Jovan, these are a few really good starter options. There are also a lot of amazing perfume oils too, which are just dirt cheap compared to the others I mentioned above, but amazing in terms of quality, projection and longevity.
A nice wrist watch is also a classic option, it never fails. Curren, SKMEI, Casio, Fastrack are great starter options, these are mostly the ones I use or like to gift others. Then as you keep going we have options like Titan, Fossil, Daniel Klein and many more, which are a bit more "premium" you can say. A proper watch will last at least 3 to 5 years, even if it goes through hell. After that it might require a little repair and a few tweaks, but it definitely is an option that may just last a decade if it receives the proper care.
A well framed photograph of you and your friend/family. This is another classic and timeless option for a gift. I have never seen anyone complain about receiving a good photograph as a gift. I've received a few myself, and it's just amazing how a gift as simple as a photograph can bring you so much joy. I still have one of my own hanging on my wall, my parents framed it up and gave it to me almost 2 decades ago. The picture is from when I received an award for an English competition that I won back in third grade haha. A timeless piece indeed.
So, those were just some of the go-to gift items that I really trust, they always work, and 9 out of 10 times people actually end up liking them.
Yet, I really don't stress too much when it comes to gifts and "gift-giving events", nor do I expect any gifts to come my way on my Birthday or any other occasion.
This year my wife did surprise me with a little birthday party. Even though she was over 200 kilometers away, she somehow managed to get my mother and younger brothers to do the "dirty work" for her lol. We then had a little birthday party of our own at home, while my wife was on a video call on the phone.
That's all that matters to me really, these moments with the people I love and care for. Sometimes these cheap thrills are just enough. 🖤
Cheers 🥃