Wedding Flowers Peonies

Buying and receiving gifts is an event that we cannot avoid. Buying presents for family, friends and colleagues can prove to be stressful for some people where as others find they have an impeccable knack for finding the perfect gift. If you are the type that needs some help with gift ideas, then read on.

At least once or twice a year we have to begin the search for 'The Present'. We seem to be living in a world where everything is celebrated from birthdays, weddings, anniversaries and christenings, religious festivals such as Christmas and Hanukkah, Thanksgiving and Easter as well as Mother's Day, Father's Day and Valentine's Day.

Most of us have to endure choosing gifts every month so where can we get our inspiration from?

If you have difficulty gift choosing, follow this simple guide which will help you decide what to give and what mistakes to avoid.

1. Pay attention to what people have an interest in. Do they like reading, writing or listening to music? If so get something related to this such as a book, a pen set or a cd. If they are more into the activities then an gift experience would be a good choice, something like a cookery day, a bungee jump or a day at the races. A sports fan would appreciate an item of clothing or memorabilia relating to their favourite спорт.

2. Observation is an essential tool in finding a great gift for someone. Make a mental note of what they like to wear and also what colour. Does she wear jewellery? maybe a brooch or necklace would be a touching gesture. Does he wear suits most of the time? A tie or pair of cufflinks would be suitable. Also take note of their house. Do they like taking pictures? Did you spot a collection of ceramic cats? Do they like flowers or plants?

3. For a special person in your life get something unique, such as designing a piece of jewellery, name a rose certificate or something that shows you have taken some real thought and put some effort into choosing their gift.

4. Avoid buying clothing if you are unsure of the persons size and/or tastes.

5. Keep a diary of birthday dates to make sure you don't forget anybody and give yourself plenty of time to decide what to buy.

6. Have a read of product reviews on gift websites and online shops or even listen to recommendations from people, they are generally a good guide as to whether something is worth buying or not and may also provide some inspiration.

7. Don't worry about the cost of an item. Just because it is more expensive, doesn't necessarily mean it is better. It really is the though that counts most of the time.

8. Something handmade can show the recipient how much you care and will often become a treasured gift because of the thought, time and effort that went into it.

9. If you don't get much time with a certain person, having a night out together at a restaurant or a weekend away can often be a truly romantic gesture or a chance for friends to catch up and enjoy each other's company. The gift doesn't have to be a material one.

10. Finally don't forget to make the effort and wrap the present in pretty paper or a nicely decorated bag. Make sure to include a tag so they know who the present is from.

All these observations and useful tips will help make it easier to choose a gift for family, friends, work colleagues and acquaintances. make sure your gifts aren't the ones relegated to the loft or the car boot sale! If all else fails, don't worry about asking what the person would like, it can sometimes be better than buying something they won't appreciate. They may even produce a wish list for an event to make it easier for people as it also ensures they get a gift they really want or need.

Kim Clarke writes for , where visitors can read reviews on gifts for any occasion and get lots of .