admin
Monica Cheru-Mpambawashe Lifestyle Editor
It is exactly 11 days before Christmas and the ornate decorations all over town will not let you forget it. The empty boxes wrapped in the most exquisite wrappers under every tree are a continuous reproach to the Scrooge inside you. You have not yet bought presents for the near and dear and the strategically placed individuals that you need to keep close or hope to draw to your side.
A present says a lot about the giver and there is need to carefully consider not just whether to give, but what to give. A present that does not talk to the recipient is almost worse than not giving at all. It says “I do not care to know you, what you like, need or appreciate. I am just discharging one more boring duty and you should be grateful that you make my list at all.”
Which is not exactly the spirit that you want to induce this festive season as such presents create animosity in the receiver. They do not know what to do with the item because they do not want to offend you. Yet at the same time they really would like to throw it in your face and say: “You shouldn’t have”, with something less than gracious gratitude.
You want to say: “You are important to me. I am not just going through the motions of remembering you at this special moment. I know you will appreciate this token of my affection.”
So how do you do that? First of all, make a list of all the people that you would like to give presents to. Then look at your budget and decide how much you are prepared to spend on each one. Remember that it is not all about buying, as some items can be made at very low or zero cost. But that is not an excuse to be cheap!
Points to consider when buying someone a present for Christmas or any other occasion like a wedding, anniversary or a birthday include the following: Do they need it? Do they want it? Will they ever use it? Does it fit in with their lifestyle and fixtures? When you look at it does the prospective person’s name automatically pop into your mind because it is so “him” or “her”?
Apparel and Accessories
For a lot of people this is the easiest. A pair of jeans, a scarf, a T-shirt, lingerie, shoes, bags; the list is endless. This is a safe bet as there is a wide selection and something to suit every pocket and taste. And there is something for every age. Avoid mass-produced items that the whole country will be wearing and whose (cheap) price the receiver will be able to find in the nearest tuck shop boutique. Hunt for a unique item and remember to consider colour and style preferences.
On the other hand, some of the worst present gaffes are in this category. An ill-fitting garment or a sweater that the recipient would not be seen dead in will be stuffed in some back drawer or be passed on immediately to someone else. So make sure you know that it will be a perfect fit in every way.
Personal Gadgets
These days it looks like almost everyone from the tot to the “gogo” wants to be with it, as far as ICT trends are concerned. A better phone, a super-duper game, or an iPad, again the options are only limited by the range of the pocket. Get some expert help here as a Galaxy S2 will not excite quite the same feelings of awed joy as an S4. Colours and accessories are also important here. So make sure you are really informed on what the person would go for if let loose with an unlimited credit in the play store. If the pocket is not deep enough for that, you could go for accessories instead which are important parts of the package but costs far much less.
Household gadgets
The era of slogging around the house is long gone. Now there is an appliance that does everything for you from cleaning the floor to boiling your eggs just right. It can be tiny or huge. A dishwasher or a washing machine might be too steep for most of us to give away, but a toaster, a coffee maker or shaving machine set are all within reasonable reach. Make sure that the gadget actually does the work that it is supposed to or it will be just another item destroying the environment as it fails to decompose on the rubbish dump.
Books
The actual Zimbabwean literacy levels may be a subject of discussion, but everyone agrees that they are generally high. Most of us love a good read. Motivational works, humour, biographies, spiritual tomes, thrillers, documentaries, fairy tales, books for youths and young adults and travel stories.
Hobby and trade journals are also great gifts for aficionados. Textbooks will make a difference for those studying. A subscription for their favourite newspaper would not be a bad idea either. There is no limit to what people will read. And now you have e-readers for those who do not want the bulk and bother of a traditional book.
Even online newspaper subscriptions are also available. As long as you know the preferences of your target, you really cannot go wrong here. But beware of giving a medical discourse on signs and symptoms of grave illnesses to a hypochondriac; you may have to rush to their bedside every second day as they discover that they are in the terminal stage of some unpronounceable diseases that attacks one person each century.
Vouchers
If you are totally stumped and all the above tips have not helped or the person you have in mind is just plain finicky and hard to please, you could try a gift voucher. Just make sure that it is from a reputable retailer who will have a respectable collection and who will honour the voucher without driving the receiver up the wall. Satellite TV subscriptions, gyms, spas, beauty salon, restaurants and hotels are all included in this batch.
Enjoy your spending spree and shop hop.
Online Reporter