When it comes to enjoyable Christmas activities, gift shopping is up there with an 8am meeting the morning after your festive work bash. The problem is that – very much like turkey on its third day – some recipients are tough.
Jeff Galak, associate professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, studies gift-giving behaviour, and finds most of us make two key mistakes. First, believing the amount we spend is directly proportionate to how much it will be liked. “Research shows recipients typically don’t care how expensive a gift was,” he says. Second, we go off-list. “Givers think the best gifts are unrequested, spontaneous and novel. In reality, most recipients want what they want.” So, if in doubt, ask. But if you’re met with “I don’t know” (as disappointing a comeback as “No, I don’t have the receipt”), follow this expert-sourced list to win over Christmas’s trickiest customers.
Challenge 1: Your boss or client
The tongue-in-cheek gift you think they’ll see the funny side of? Put it back – unless you like your nut roast with a side of P45. “Beware of getting something that makes the relationship too familiar,” warns Galak, who suggests going traditional and work-related: a nice pen, a monogrammed leather notebook, high-end stationery. “Everyone eats and drinks, so that’s a safe bet, too,” adds Katie Shapley, managing director of The Organisers, a bespoke personal assistant and shopping service.
Challenge 2: The person who has everything
“My rule is always quality over quantity,” explains Milda Chellingsworth, founder of personal shopping and stylist service Styling for You. An example? If their hobby is cooking, buy them a cookery course. If they have a favourite author, get a signed edition. If you can’t speak to them before they’ve had caffeine, invest in a state-of-the-art coffee machine (see below) – there are bean-to-cup options for every budget. “The worst thing is to buy a load of knick-knacks as they’ll end up dumped in the drawer. I hear time and time again from clients: ‘Oh, it’s so-and-so’s birthday coming up, so I’ll just re-gift that thing I never use.’”
Challenge 3: Secret Santa
The £10 budget cap might be easy on the wallet, but for your brain it’s the gift equivalent of an eggnog hangover. “One of the big challenges in workplace gift exchanges is that they are often seen as a competition,” says Galak. Plus, you might not know that person particularly well. “It’s a situation where we feel self-conscious (since everyone knows what everyone gets).” At group present-opening parties, an easy hit is an activity that can be done together, such as photo-booth props or the Donald Trump “fake news” game, where you guess if certain quotes came from him.
Challenge 4: The person you’ve bought for a million times before
“When I ask male clients for information about their wife, I always hear: ‘She loves handbags,’” says Chellingsworth. “But how many handbags must she already own? Does she really want another one that she hasn’t picked herself? I ask them to tell me something more. And that’s when I hear: ‘Oh yeah, she did mention this new place that she wants to go to.’ That’s perfect. Make gifting an opportunity to spend time together.”
Three rules of exchange-proof gifting
Ask what they want. “If this feels taboo, ask a close friend of the recipient – this way you get the benefit of giving the right gift, as well as the benefit of it being a surprise,” advises Galak.
Don’t pad a gift out. A US study (Presenter’s Paradox) found that adding a small stocking filler to an expensive gift actually reduced how much the recipient thought someone had spent.
Make a list. “Because sales start so early now, you go into a shop, buy loads of stuff and then think: ‘Who can I give this to?’” explains Chellingsworth. “It’s less overwhelming to spend an hour thinking of a present for each person, and then shop.”
Four of the best coffee machines from AO.com this Christmas
If you fancy controlling your espresso from your smartphone or prefer to make bean-to-cup coffee, look no further than this selection of De’Longhi machines (check online for the latest prices).
De’Longhi Primadona
For the coffee aficionado. This machine also features a clever Coffee Link app that enables you to customise your drink from a smartphone.
De’Longhi Autentica
For the busy coffee drinker. The Autentica model has a useful memory function, which makes it quick and easy to brew up your favourite drink.
De’Longhi Caffe Corso
For the savvy coffee fan on a budget. This model makes two cups at once, works with both beans and ground coffee, and has a frother function.
De’Longhi Dinamica
For the connoisseur who enjoys a strong cup of coffee. The grinder uses less heat to prepare the beans, to ensure they keep their flavour.
For great gift ideas, including coffee machines, with free delivery, check out AO.com’s range at AO.com/christmas
