This special gift-giving time of year is about a lot of different things for different people, and buying something for someone is far more than just a price-tag based exchange. The really important thing is showing someone that you care about them and a certain type of gift can do this better than others. It is all about “reading the room”, so to speak, so here is a gift guide of things to buy for every person in your life – all you have got to do is decide which category your loved-ones fall under.
The Experience Chaser
Everyone has an experience-chaser in their lives – those people who would rather stockpile a heap of memories from their experiences than a pile of things. These people are actually surprisingly easy to buy for if you know what they like to do, especially in London because London is the experience-chasers paradise.
Only a couple of hours staying at a Piccadilly London West End hotel and you will know one thing for certain: this is an absolute hub for experiences. One of the main ones? The theatre. There are so many shows on concurrently at any given time in the West End, and West End packages are always on the cards if you book far enough in advance. They are a great gift because they are often things that people won’t spend money on themselves, but love to do regardless.
Another great London-based experience is afternoon tea, and you get a huge variety in the city, with everything from Indian High Tea to Alice in Wonderland themed tea. This is another classic example of a wonderful experience that someone wouldn’t necessarily buy for themselves – it is a treat that is often sidelined for other financial priorities. It is a treat-yourself kind of present. Most of the time, you can buy afternoon tea vouchers that are not date specified (or are at least flexible), meaning the person you are gifting has the opportunity to go on their own schedule.
Secret Cinema is one of London’s most thrilling and fabulous new experiences that are taking attendees by a storm – it gets more popular by the minute! Essentially, they are immersive cinema experiences that include all sorts of wonderful escape-room style surprises along the way.
The Pamper Prince/Princess
If you have someone in your life that swoons at the thought of some luxurious pampering, then spa treatments are a great go-to gift. Think Piccadilly West End Hotel spa packages or vouchers for facials and massages for a time that is convenient for them. What is great about a gift like this is that there can be an easily adjustable sliding scale in terms of price, where you simply add more things onto the package based on your relationship with the gift-receiver. This is a sort of double-whammy for the Pamper Prince/Princess who also is a bit of an Experience Chaser!
But some Pamper Prince and Princesses out there may not be that into pre-organised experiences or prefer a bit of pampering from home. This is where we take to the high street and purchase any of the following luxurious items. Head to Lush for some of the most overwhelming (in a good way) smells you have ever experienced. Buy all sorts: bath bombs, scented soap, bubble bath… the lot! They have beautiful gift-wrapping options, too, so this is a great time-saver without compromising on aesthetics.
Jewellery Enthusiasts
Gifting jewellery is old-school and to some people may seem cliche – but the case with cliches is so often that they are the norm for a reason… they work! Don’t fix what ain’t broke, right? Jewellery is a solid gift choice for most people, though it is important to ensure the person you are buying for definitely wears the sort of item you are picking for them. It is such a waste for a beautiful necklace to sit in its box and never get worn, or a watch to sit ticking away in the cupboard. But if you know your loved one loves a spot of jewellery, then get shopping at the following stores.
You are always going to come right in gifting jewellery with a trip to Harrods. There are a number of boutiques and world-famous brands to choose from, all varying in size, shape, look and price. Everyone who works in Harrods is usually quite expert in their field, so they will certainly be able to help you choose if you are able to give them an idea of what your gift-ee usually wears or styles they already own.
The Sweet Tooth
Everyone knows someone who would rather eat their gifts than wear them, but nobody wants a bag of Chocolate Buttons as a Christmas gift. Don’t worry – there is a middle ground. Head to Hotel Chocolat so luxury British chocolates and truffles that are perfect for gifting, even if solely because of how beautiful the box they come in is. These chocolates have won awards – they know what they are doing. Slightly further along the “wacky” scale, you could head to Leicester Square’s M&M World instead, and get something equally gift-worthy choccies but with more of a childish flair – the good kind of childish flair, that is.
The Subscription Nut
It is 2019 and subscription boxes have never been so popular – mainly because they fit into our current culture of wanting to try a bit of everything. Subscription boxes are perfect for that, and you get them in just about every possible theme, from horror novel selections and gin tasters to beauty products and coffee connoisseurs. Buying someone a year’s subscription to something they love is an excellent gift because it is kind of like getting them a whole load of gifts that arrive throughout the year, reminding them of your affections.
Buying presents can be as rewarding for the buyer as it is the receiver, because of the love and gratification that is associated with the process. So putting effort into your gifts means that you are able to show that your exchange is not simply superficial but a meaningful display of your affections. Using this guide and gauging what sort of mould you think the people in your life falls into, you are armed with the tools to get the perfect gift for everyone in your life.
