3 Things To Remember When Giving (And Receiving) Gifts

When in Manila, we experience the best and the worst of the Christmas season. The best parts include being able to spend more time with loved ones, having more opportunities to treat ourselves, and taking a break from work. However, the busyness of the season tends to suck the fun out of activities and traditions that were originally meant for good. An example would be the tradition of gift-giving. Too often it becomes a task or a burden instead of an exciting expression of love.

At this time today, you’ve probably opened all your Christmas presents. Your loved ones would have probably opened your gifts for them, too.

What could you say about the whole tradition? About the process of preparing for this gift-giving tradition? Was this year extra hectic for you?

When giving gifts, sincerity goes a long way. If you want to give presents that would make the recipients (and you!) happy, here are three tips.

While it’s easier to send out one-size-fits-all kinds of gifts, different people will have different likes and dislikes. There’s a huge chance that what your friend likes may be what your other friend dislikes. Research goes a long way when thinking of gifts. You could think of random things they mentioned that they wanted. Or you could stalk their social media accounts to see what might pique their interest.

For example, if you have a friend who’s struggling to graduate from med school, send her a dose of encouragement by picking out charms that would remind her of her goal. Brands like Sweet Charms Manila offer customizable accessories, with many charms to choose from to help find something that is unique to the recipient of your gift.

A handwritten letter or a homemade dish could mean more to a person than an expensive perfume. Some people give gifts to outdo each other in terms of how much they could afford. This is a disservice to both the giver and the recipient. Lacking funds to give out lavish gifts should not discourage you. Instead, it should make you more creative in thinking of ways to express your love and appreciation to others.

It’s always difficult to find presents for our parents because they’re (usually) richer than us! And also because when we are just students or fresh grads, what could we possibly give them that they can’t buy for themselves?

This is why it’s important to choose gifts that aren’t just for the sake of being flashy.

Buying your mom a necklace doesn’t have to go over your budget! Just choose something that would tell a story about how you appreciate her.

Effort definitely goes a long way when it comes to gift-giving. But let’s face it. Life gets busy. It’s traffic everywhere. The malls are crowded. The lines are long. Instead of simply focusing on working hard, work smart! Figure out ways to become more efficient in gift-giving.

For example, opt for online shopping instead of going to crowded malls, fighting over parking spots, and wasting half a day stuck in traffic.(Sweet Charms Manila, whose photos appear above, offer convenient shipping and payment options. See their Instagram page @sweetcharmsmanila for more details.

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Or don’t cram your Christmas shopping! Make a list of people you want to give gifts to. And whenever you find something unique for a person on that list, set it aside for Christmas–so you won’t have to cram everything come December. (Just make sure you don’t get carried away with your budget!)

Working smart doesn’t take away the thoughtfulness of the gesture. By taking better care of yourself, you are in a position to take care of others.

Sweet Charms Manila is releasing an exciting new product this 2016! It’s a great find for fashionistas who like customizable accessories. The winner will get first dibs and it will be delivered straight to your doorstep! (As long as you live in the Philippines.) All you have to do is to share follow them on Instagram, like their Facebook page, and comment below to indicate that you have joined. The winner will be announced on January 15.

P.S. While we can’t reveal what exactly this new product is, here are a few clues: it’s customizable, wearable, sparkly, and comes in more colors compared to Sweet Charms Manila’s previous products.

Lastly, while there could only be one winner for the giveaway, they’re having a huge promo until December 31: BUY 1 TAKE 1 ON ALL CHARMS, WINDOW PLATES, PLATES, DANGLES, BIRTHSTONES! You only have a few more days to claim this. Click this link to order.

I had mine in 2015, and I really loved how one quick look at my locket reminded me of my priorities for 2015.

Sweet Charms Manila

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sweetcharmsmanila/

Instagram: @sweetcharmsmanila