A good gift does not have to be surprising, expensive or something they would never buy themselves. It should make the person receiving it feel like you thought about them.

Finding that gift can still be difficult. You might know someone very well and have no idea what to buy them, or find yourself scrolling through hundreds of gift ideas without anything feeling quite right.

Instead of starting with products, start with the person.

Start with what you already know about them

Think about how they spend their time, what they talk about, what they look forward to, where they go when they have some time to themselves, and what seems to matter to them in everyday life.

Someone who spends every possible free day in the mountains probably does not need another decorative object simply because it looks beautiful. They might appreciate a guide to somewhere they have never explored, something good to eat on their next hike, or a day outside that you have planned for the two of you.

Likewise, someone who loves chocolate does not necessarily need more chocolate. It could be a chocolate they have never tasted, a handmade cup for their evening hot chocolate, a chocolate-making class, or an invitation to share fondue together.

Listen to what they would like more of

Sometimes the best clue is not what someone already does, but what they keep saying they would like to do.

“I want to start drawing again.”

“We never have people over anymore.”

“I’d love to spend more time outside.”

“I really need an evening to myself.”

Those little comments can be some of the best clues.

A gift can give someone a small reason to finally do the thing they have been meaning to make time for. That might mean a sketchbook and an afternoon together, booking the restaurant they keep mentioning, planning a hike, or simply creating everything they need for an evening at home with nothing else to do.

The important distinction is that the gift should support something they want, rather than something you think they ought to become.

 

The best gifts often sit somewhere between what someone already loves, what they would like more of, and something you genuinely want to give or share with them.

 

Think about what you want to bring into the gift

A personal gift is not only about choosing something the other person will like. It can also carry something that matters to you.

If sustainability is important to you, giving something wasteful or poorly made may not feel right, even if you know the recipient would enjoy it. If you love cooking and they have a sweet tooth, perhaps the gift is something you make for them. If spending time together matters to you, you might choose something that gives you a reason to do that.

Sometimes what you want to bring into the gift is a feeling: care, encouragement, rest, excitement, connection, surprise.

Sometimes it is more tangible: something you made, a value you care about, a place you love, a tradition, or something you want to share with them.

The aim is not to make the gift about you. It is to find the point where something you care about meets something they will genuinely enjoy.

That is often what makes a gift feel much more personal than simply choosing the thing most likely to please them.

Example

They love sweets. You love cooking.

Instead of buying a generic box of chocolates, you might bake something for them, make dessert and invite them over, or combine something you have made with a chocolate or object you know they will enjoy.

The recipient still comes first, but there is something recognisably yours in the gift too.

 

It does not necessarily have to be something you buy

A planned afternoon can be a gift.

So can cooking someone’s favourite dinner, taking care of their children for a few hours, organising a picnic, teaching them something you know how to do, finding a walk you know they would love, or bringing together people they have not seen for a while.

And it does not have to be either an object or an experience.

A small physical gift can introduce the moment you are creating. Give someone a hiking guide with a note telling them to choose a route for you to do together. Add a favourite ingredient to an invitation to cook dinner together. Give them a beautiful cup alongside a promise to come over for coffee.

The details are what make it theirs

Once you know what you want to give, small details can make even a relatively simple gift feel considered.

Write why you chose it in the card rather than only writing “Happy Birthday.” Choose their favourite colour. Add their initials. Wrap it in a way that suits them. Include a reference to something you have done together.

If you are giving several things, they do not need to be expensive individually. What matters is why they belong together.

And if you’re still stuck...

Forget about finding the perfect gift. Finish these three sentences instead:

They already love ____________________

They keep saying they would like to ____________________

I would like to bring/share/give them ____________________

Look at the three answers together. Your gift is probably somewhere between them.

 

A little help choosing

At Maison Myrthus, this is also how we approach our gift sets. Rather than building them around occasions alone, we think about the person receiving them and the moment each gift can create.

If you know a little about the person but still are not sure which direction to take, answer a few questions and we will recommend the Maison Myrthus gift sets that suit them best.