Now that the nights are getting longer and our coats are getting bigger, are you starting to worry about the prospect of giving gifts this Christmas? 

Maybe your budget is tight. Maybe your loved ones aren’t very open about giftable things they like, or, worst of all, maybe they just seem to have everything they want already.

Whatever the cause, most of us can think of at least one person we stress out over buying a present for during the holidays.

If gift-giving isn’t your natural love language, never fear, because writer and television presenter Dawn O’Porter is here with some very wise tips for gifting this holiday season. 

She says there are four questions we should all be keeping in mind when we’re choosing what to buy our nearest and dearest…

Are you excited to be giving this gift?

The first and most important thing we need to be asking ourselves is whether there’s something out there that we’d look forward to giving this person.

O’Porter tells Stylist: “I love getting gifts, but I also get so excited to give gifts, especially when I know I’ve chosen a great one. So I think, when choosing your gift, one of the most important questions to ask is do you feel excited about giving [it]?

“A great gift will make the person receiving it feel amazing, so trust your gut. If you’re excited to give it, the likelihood is they will be excited to get it!”

Is this gift something that isn’t necessarily for everyone, but you know they will love it?

Adding a personal touch to your gift is a surefire way to make sure it’s well appreciated.

Not sure where to start? Think about what things you and the person you’re buying for have chatted about recently and use that as inspiration.

O’Porter adds: “Everyone knows how much I love cats, and so to everyone looking for a Christmas present for me, I genuinely say this from the bottom of my heart: go to Etsy and put in the word ‘cat’ and you can get me anything.

“Quite literally any handmade cat item. I adore them all. If it’s got my name on it, even better.” 

Can you imagine this person still owning and using the gift in 10 years?

We all love getting a silly little present now and then, but if you’re really stuck for what to get somebody, try to visualise something you know they’ll use and keep through the years.

O’Porter suggests finding a balance between the thoughtful and the practical, adding: “What’s it made out of? Long-wearing gifts don’t have to be expensive.”

Getting them something that will last also has the added benefit of being better for the environment – nobody wants to visualise the gifts they’ve spent good money on sitting in a landfill. 

Is there something extra special about this gift?

As O’Porter tells us, even socks can become a precious present if there’s something special about them. For example, they could be hand-woven by an independent seller with the most amazingly soft material or covered in pictures of the recipient’s beloved pet.

“When 41% of people have lied about liking a gift they’ve received for Christmas,” O’Porter says, “making sure your gift has that extra special something about it has never been more important.

“The amazing thing about buying from independent sellers also is that they will go the extra mile to make sure you’re happy, and you can see who you’re buying from and supporting, which is a lovely thing to relay to the person you’re buying for.”

Images: Getty