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Our wedding gifts were everything we expected. Literally. That’s because it was all stuff we registered for. I’m not saying it’s not a good idea to register for gifts. It’s prevented many ugly fruit bowls and multiples of something. (I remember my best friend’s wedding shower where she unwrapped an anodized cookware set, squealed with glee, then unwrapped another, and then one more. It was very awkward.)

So gift registries developed as a way to make sure you were giving the person something they actually wanted, and without worrying about getting something they already had. The problem is, that gift-giving has become too easy. We just go to the store, look at the list, pay for the item, and we’re done. There’s no thought put into it. Isn’t it the thought that counts?

The fact that gift-giving had become an empty act didn’t hit me until my new husband and I were putting away all the wedding gifts we had gotten. Bowls, pretty silver frames, cookware and bedding, they were all very nice. But my husband was obsessed with one gift. His cousin had gotten him an Alvarez acoustic guitar.

My husband had been wanting one, and his cousin remembered. He had a close relationship with my husband and did not take the easy route. This meant a lot to my husband. Not only for the gift itself, but because he knows his cousin (like most men) hated to do shopping of any kind. He could have had his wife get something for us from the registry, but he went the extra mile to get a meaningful gift. And that guitar meant more to my husband than any gift he had been given in a long time.

It was at that point I realized that I was really wanting to get my hands on a particular gift. My sister had gotten me a box full of scrapbooking materials. Gorgeous scrapbooking papers, stickers, paper punches, ribbon, rubber stamps and so many more things. I could hardly wait to open it up and start making pages with our wedding photos.

Scrapbooking stuff certainly was not on our wedding gift registry. She just knew I would love it. My point is that it is the gifts that people give us because they know and value us that mean the most. I’ve decided not to register for my baby shower. If getting thoughtful gifts means risking a few extra diaper pails, I’m willing to take that risk.

So the next time you have to buy a gift for someone, give it some thought before you go shopping. Of course, if you do not know them well or you are not the best gift-giver to start with, maybe leaning on the registry is okay. But if you do have any sort of relationship with the person, try not to fall back on what they ask for. Try instead, to give them something they’ll remember forever.

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Technorati Tags: art of gift giving, gift registry

The general consensus is that a flashy gift is a good gift. After all, why wouldn’t someone want something that is glitzy and eye-catching? This probably applies to many people’s philosophies, but there’s a lot to be said for digging a little deeper so that every gift you give has a personal touch to it.

Naturally, sentimental value varies depending on who the recipient will be, but for the most part, a person wants a gift that is both functional and holds a certain amount of valuable meaning. Let’s look at some popular trends and see how to make them a bit deeper than their exterior.

Let’s look at the flashiest of gifts, which are almost entirely concentrated in the world of high tech goods. A men’s sport watch just doesn’t have the same meaning anymore as a gaming station, a Blu-Ray disc player, or mammoth flat panel television.

Make the disc player mean something; give your loved one a few of his favorite movies to watch. Make sure that the TV doesn’t suck up too much of his time. Why not add a gift certificate for a free movie at a real theater? If you’re giving him a digital book reader, have it filled already with a few great titles to get him started.

Another booming market is geared toward new mothers, who want to endow their children with the best of the best. Baby bath tubs need not apply. These days it’s all about organic baby care items, or sterling silver rattles. Of course the mothers will always be appreciative of gifts with straightforward practicality, but take up the ‘special’ factor a notch.

Let’s say you’ve bought a luxury crib for your friend. What more could she ask for her child? Well, why not a pair of cashmere booties that are monogrammed? Or perhaps you’ve bought an ultra expensive pram. That’s wonderful for the baby, but maybe you could also hint that you’re thinking of the mother. Why not buy her a first edition copy of her favorite novel so she can read while relaxing in the park while on a stroll with the pram?

They say sometimes that more is more. In the case of buying dazzling and extravagant gifts though, the ‘more’ is not about the price tag. You’ve already covered that base in the original receipt. Make yourself someone the recipient will always appreciate by showing your conscientious and thoughtful side.

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Technorati Tags: art of gift giving, Gifts