Sure, you may know your friends inside out. You might have been acquainted for years, spent hours on end together, maybe even lived together. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that present shopping for them this holiday season is going to be easy as pie. When you’re kids or students, picking out gifts is simple. After all, your friends will have been longing for a specific thing throughout the year and are simply waiting for a special occasion to ask for it. After all, they don’t have the means of splurging out on themselves. When you’re adults, however, you have your own disposable income and can just pick up what you want as you go. This means that come the festive season there really isn’t all too much on their list. But not to worry. You just have to think outside the box a little when it comes to getting a gift into a box for them. Consider their personal interests. Here are a few great gifts for specific types of friends to get your imagination going.
The Follower of Fashion
We all have one friend who prides themself on their fashion choices. Whether they’re fashion forward with a quirky, outlandish wardrobe, or opt for a more classic and traditional aesthetic, there’s a great way to gift them over and over again throughout the year. Consider a premium clothing subscription. This truly is the gift that keeps on giving. You’ll need a couple of key details about your friend, such as their clothing size. This will be included in information on their personal profile which will then be used by a design team to curate a bespoke package of three to four items to be delivered to your friend once every month. This doesn’t mean a couple of pairs of socks either. Items can include trousers, sweaters, and even jackets. What’s more? Your friend will receive an extra free item as a gift for the first month of their subscription. Perfect!
The Foodie
When it comes to the foodie’s gifts, you’re going to have to either order them in close to Christmas or ensure that they don’t need to be refrigerated or frozen. Otherwise they could find themselves opening up a soggy package with ruined goods. Chocolates are a pretty straightforward option, but be a little more adventurous than a standard box. Search out gourmet chocolates. The new pink toned ruby chocolate could be a fun surprise. Other good ideas are ingredient packs, such as extravagant chillis, spices, and cooking sauces. Many brands offer gift wrapped hampers specifically designed to be gifts. If you want a less edible gift that will still bring a smile to their face, think of more practical items. For a larger budget, professional coffee machines, blenders, and smoothie makers are a good shout. Alternatively, consider adding a personal touch to your gift with bespoke items such as personalised cheese boards, cutlery, or other utensils.
The Book Lover
A book worm may well bring a touch of culture to conversation in the friendship group, but if you’re not great with literature yourself, they might be a mystery to shop for. Luckily, there’s plenty of literature based merchandise and products out there on the gift market. Check out sites such as The Literary Gift Company: these specialised companies will have a whole host of novelty items. Note your friend’s favourite author or work and see if there’s anything related on the site. Things like Edgar Allan Poe-ka-dot socks or Freudian Soap are great for a laugh. Alternatively, for something a little more sentimental, see whether you can find an early or specially bound copy of their favourite novel or anthology of poetry. These can be found from specialist book dealers or even on online auction sites such as Amazon or eBay.
The Speed Freak
No friendship group would be complete without an adrenaline junky in its midst. Fortunately, this individual is surprisingly simple to shop for once you ditch the idea of finding a present on store shelves. What will bring the biggest smile to the speed freak’s face is an experience. Take a look at extreme sports experiences, skydiving, the opportunity for them to fly a plane, or get behind the wheel of a luxury sports car. You could even make this a bonding experience for the two of you by offering to accompany them on their trip. That’s if you’re brave enough!
Once you start taking your friends’ specialist interests into account, shopping becomes a whole lot easier!