The last thing you want is to give a gift to your partner and for them to say “You really shouldn’t have” when they open it… and mean it.  If you’re buying a gift for someone special, what you buy and how you buy it really counts for a lot, and will make the difference between whether your gift is remembered…or recycled.

Here at Swizzels.com, we’re the gurus of gift giving. After all, we’ve spoken to countless customers who have bought gifts from our shop and we’ve picked up a thing or two. Whether it’s for an anniversary or for Chanukah, follow our gift guide below – we think you’ll find it very helpful.

Don't throw money at a gift

More expensive gifts aren’t more appreciated, so don’t assume that’s the case.  In fact, the opposite is often the case; buying a gold-studded Versace watch for someone you’ve known for three months is a bit creepy. What’s more, the recipient may feel that you’ll expect a gift with a similar gift tag -even if that’s not the case.

Consider what they might really appreciate regardless of the money spent. Putting thought into a present gets more brownie points and it’s much kinder on the bank balance!

Don’t buy more than one main gift

Avoid buying lots of ‘big ticket’ presents.  Doing this just reduces the importance (and appreciation) of each one you give.  It’ll show you were indecisive and weren’t really sure what the recipient wanted so you just covered all bases.  What you want is to make an emotional or sentimental connection through gift giving because you’ve really understood what makes that person tick.  That doesn’t come with excessive gifts.  It comes with one, special, thoughtful gift.

Dare to be different

We’re going to share a secret with you: men are tired of receiving ties and women are tired of giving them. Flowers, perfume, cologne, wallets – they’re all so formulaic. We want gifts which are exciting! Unique! Insightful! And downright fun.

So if you’ve got a sneaky feeling your Dad would love to go to that gig of a band he loved in his twenties, go for it! It might be a risk, but it’s a risk worth taking. Who needs more ties?

Get social

If you’re still struggling to come up with ideas for the perfect gift for your friend or partner, consider doing a bit of …friendly investigation.

Most people spend half their lives on social media these days and chances are you’ll be able to find some hints in the archives of their social profiles. The details can be gold dust: maybe they entered a competition to win that handbag (bingo), or perhaps they tweeted “The Best Meal Ever” at that fancy restaurant (hello voucher!).

Whatever you find, use it to your advantage – and make sure to keep them guessing; when they exclaim “But how did you know?!” you’ll be hailed as both genius gift giver and mind reader. Always fun.

If you’re still struggling to find a thoughtful gift, why not check out Swizzels.com where you’ll find a host of sweet and personalisable gifts, including this fabulous handmade sweet hamper. Gifts like these are a great way of spending a little but showing a great deal of love, care and meaning to that special person in your life.