Christmas is one of the most stressful times of the year. You have to beat traffic, bear crowded malls, and find the perfect gift for your loved ones. While it is tempting to get them a generic gift like a picture frame or a mug, a gift that they want is always better.
But it isn’t easy. How do you know what people want for Christmas? Asking them will ruin the surprise and might come off as lazy. To solve that problem, we’ve come up with five sneaky ways to find out what your loved ones want, without asking them directly.
5. Asking the people around them
If you really don’t know what they want for Christmas, simply ask the people around them. You can interview their siblings, or their parents if you’re close to them. The beauty of social media is you can message anyone, even if you don’t know them. If your friend has a boyfriend or girlfriend, you can ask them, too!
4. Ask them… subtly
There’s a way of asking people what they want for Christmas… without asking them directly. To do this, I suggest you go out shopping with them. Randomly point out items and say that you want to get that for Christmas. If they like it, too, they’ll say it (tip: you have to closely observe them to see if they’re just saying that or they really want it). It doesn’t always work, and if it doesn’t, pick a moment when their guard is down, and mention a gift that you would really like to receive. Then ask them point blank, “How about you? What’s your dream gift?” If you’re lucky, they might end up buying you your dream gift.
3. Observe and listen
All the signs are there. You just need to pay attention. As Christmas draws nearer, people will be talking more and more about gift shopping. If you’re lucky (and paying close attention), they will be saying what they want to get for the holidays.
2. Play this mind game
There’s a little mind game you can use to find out what they really want. Simply tell them, “I bought you what you really want for Christmas.” They’ll start asking what you got them and how you found out. Ask them to guess, and that you’ll give them five tries. They will then rattle off the things on their wish list, and voila, you have choices! Even if they reveal their Christmas wish list, they’ll think you already got them the gift even before telling you.
1. Stalking their social media
The best way to find out what people want for Christmas is simple: stalk their social media. It’s unbelievable the amount of information people put there, whether directly or indirectly. In fact, it’s easy to get to know a person better by going on their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram pages. Chances are, they posted their wish list online, but if not, just take note of what they post about often and give a related gift. Do they post a lot about movies? Get them a Netflix subscription. Links related to Harry Potter? Buy them a nice edition of the series, or a copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Social media is a gold mine. Take advantage of it.
Christmas may be the most stressful time of the year, but it’s not an excuse to give terrible gifts. Giving a gift that they will surely like shows that you care, and that you’re willing to exert the extra effort to show it. With these simple steps, you won’t have a hard time trying to guess what to give your loved ones this Christmas. Your effort will pay off when they open it!
If you still haven’t figured out what your loved ones want, get them a gift card. A gift card allows them to choose their gift and spend it the way they want it. SM’s Gift Cards gives the recipient an endless selection of items sold in all SM retail establishments, such as the SM Store, SM Markets, Uniqlo, Forever 21, The Body Shop, Watson’s, Our Home, Crate & Barrel and many more. It’s convenient and practical, and frees the giver from the stress of last-minute shopping. SM Gift Cards come in various denominations, and can be purchased from the check-out counters of The SM Store, Ace Hardware, Sports Central, Our Home, Kultura, and Baby Company.
For more information, visit https://www.smgiftcard.com.ph/.
