The Ultimate Gift Giving Guide

Gift giving is deeply ingrained in human culture, especially to celebrate and commemorate special events and occasions. Sometimes, however, it can be difficult to know when to buy a gift, how much to spend and to find the right gift inspiration to suit the recipient.

To help, we’ve put together the ultimate gift giving guide that explores the history of exchanging presents, so you know more about how, when and why you might decide to gift someone.

History of giving gifts

Humans have been giving gifts for thousands of years, from ancient times to modern-day.

Serving as a symbol of appreciation, love and celebration, the art of gifting has evolved over time but the origins of gift giving have revolved around offering tokens and gestures of goodwill for centuries.

Whether presenting gifts to deities as offerings in ancient Egypt or pleasing the Greek gods with presents and precious artifacts, the act of giving a gift to bring joy, peace or happiness is one that’s been practiced throughout history.

In more recent times, gift giving has been part of human culture throughout the year for almost any occasion. Used as an excuse to celebrate, exchanging presents is common practice to show someone affection, appreciation, and love, or even to help the recipient in certain difficult times and situations.

Gift giving has also played a significant role in diplomatic relations, especially between nations where ambassadors, kings and queens would offer valuable gifts from their home countries to foreign rulers as gestures of goodwill and diplomacy.

How soon should you give a gift?

Whilst almost any occasion lends itself to giving a gift, it can be tricky to know how soon to give someone a present, especially if your relationship is new or recent.

It’s important to consider the type of relationship you have and the length of time you’ve known each other, as it can feel uncomfortable to give and receive lavish gifts if you’ve only just met someone. Starting small with thoughtful tokens and gestures can often be a great way to begin gifting a new friend or relationship before you work your way up to giving bigger presents.

There are some items that work well as initial gifts, like flowers and candles that can be given as token gestures at any occasion, whilst thoughtful gifts like personalised jewellery or sentimental keepsakes make for more intimate presents.

What occasions should you give gifts?

As we mentioned, nearly every event in the year calls for gift giving due to the nature of how we celebrate occasions. Here we’ve put together an overview of the main events you might consider gifting, to help get you inspired.

Christmas – Considered as the most popular gift-giving occasion, Christmas is a well-known time for exchanging presents. Dating back to historic times, giving gifts on Christmas eve, Christmas day and Boxing day is steeped in tradition amongst cultures all around the world.
Birthdays – It’s believed that the Romans were the first to give presents at birthdays during their lavish parties to celebrate. Today, there’s no better way to wish someone a happy birthday than with a thoughtful gift, like our birthday jewellery that represents the person you are celebrating.
New Baby & Christenings – The birth of a new baby is one of the most significant occasions in life and it’s only fitting to commemorate the occasion with a gift for the new-born. Personalised christening gifts are a wonderful way to mark the ceremony and show your appreciation.
Weddings – it’s customary to celebrate the happy couple on their wedding day by giving them a gift that symbolises their lifetime commitment to one another. Finding the right gift can be tricky, so we’ve put together a guide to help you find a unique wedding gift that the bride and groom are sure to love.
Anniversaries – All anniversaries deserve to be celebrated, whether it’s your first or thirty-first, and nothing says congratulations more than a keepsake token to cherish. Consider something that matches the traditional wedding anniversary gifts by year whether you’re planning your own anniversary or are looking for inspiration for a loved one.
Achievements – Milestone achievements are often huge occasions that call for gift giving. Events like graduating from university or buying your first home are special moments in life, and we think there’s no better way to celebrate than with a thoughtful gift.
Special People – Just as with events, there are special people in your life that you might like to celebrate by giving them a gift to show your appreciation. Perhaps it’s showering your mum and dad with love of Mother’s and Father’s day or celebrating your child’s favourite teacher at the end of a school year – no matter the special person in your life, you can show your fondness through a meaningful keepsake.

Alternative gifting occasions

So, you’ve heard of the big events like Christmas, birthdays and weddings, but what about the smaller life events that still provide an opportunity to give a gift?

We think all occasions should be celebrated, especially if you’re attending an event and you don’t want to turn up empty handed. Similarly, there are times when a gift can mean a lot to somebody going through a difficult time, for example if you’re looking for bereavement gifts for someone close to you who’s lost a loved-one. In these instances, gifting a gesture that shows them how much you care and represents the love you have for each other can make a big difference. As with all gifts, it’s the thought that counts and sometimes, the sentimental keepsakes can often mean the most.

Now you know more about the art of gift giving you can approach every event with confidence, knowing that your gift will be cherished and well-received. Hopefully you’re feeling inspired with our ultimate gift giving guide and can find the perfect gift for any occasion, relationship, and event.

Don’t forget, you can browse our Heads and Tails Jewellery blog to find more tips on gift giving if you’re still looking for the perfect gift.

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