The Times Australia
Fisher and Paykel Appliances
Small Business News

.

Key tips when buying gifts for any occasion

  • Written by News Company


Buying presents can be expensive and often gifts are purchased more out of duty or obligation than they are out of desire. That’s a bad place to be when gifting because the truth is, a gift should come from the heart. It should be something that you want to do. Because if it isn’t the way in which it is given will be felt by the recipient. In short, don’t go through the motions when buying gifts, invest in the process and do it properly or don’t do it at all. What exactly does this mean and how do you go about it? Here are a few simple tips to help make you the best gift-giver in your family.

Thought

If you have never heard the expression ‘it’s the thought that counts’ then you probably haven’t been paying attention. But it is important to understand what this means. It doesn’t mean that you can gift anything as long as you remember to buy a gift. There really isn’t any thought in that process. It is not remembering that counts, it is the level of thought that goes into it. So, for instance, if you need to buy gifts for baby shower, don’t just grab a pack of diapers while doing the grocery; rather apply some proper thought to the process. Who are the parents? What do they need? What is their position regarding the environment (disposable nappies are not good if they are activists)? What are they likely to appreciate? Is it a boy or a girl? What is your relationship with the baby going to be? So many things to consider – all of which should inform the gift that you buy.

Effort

Always remember that a gift is about making an effort, it is not about the amount that you spend on the gift. And while people obviously like to receive fancy, expensive presents, they are usually very appreciative of gifts that have involved effort from the giver. This means that if budgets are tight, you have a full license to go out and make things. You know the person who will be on the receiving end of the gift so make sure it is something that they will appreciate. But go all out to bake, make, knit or draw something that will speak volumes for how you feel about them.

The whole package

As important as a baby gift is, it is the details that surround the present that sends the clearest message. The card, for instance, should always have a message in it. Put a little bit of your heart into the card and let the person know how you feel about them. Modern people tend to be very closed with their emotions and they don’t like to share. Things like birthdays or anniversaries provide rare opportunities to speak unabashedly from the heart. Let your people know that they are appreciated, loved, missed or admired. Whatever it is, a card on a gift if a good place to do it and it adds a lot of weight to the gift.

Property Times

Understanding Kerbside Valuation: A Practical Guide for Property Owners

When it comes to property transactions, not every situation requires a full, detailed valuation. In many cases, lenders, investors, or homeowners simply need a quick, efficient assessment of a property’s approximate market value. This is where a ke...

Why the Prevailing RBA Mortgage Interest Rates Are Not to Blame for the Continuing Rise in Residential Dwelling Prices

Australia’s housing market remains one of the most debated economic issues of the decade. Despite successive Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) interest rate hikes aimed at cooling demand, residential dwelling prices across most capital cities and man...

How Real Estate Agent Commissions Work in Australian States and Territories

When buying or selling property in Australia, one of the biggest costs—beyond the property price itself—comes from real estate agent commissions. These commissions are the fees agents charge for marketing, negotiating, and finalising the sale of ...

Understanding Centrelink Investment Property Valuation: A Guide for Australian Property Owners

Introduction Owning an investment property in Australia can bring financial stability — but it also comes with responsibilities, especially when it comes to Centrelink assessments. Whether you’re applying for age pensions, disability benefits, or ...

Food & Dining

How healthy are the hundreds of confectionery options and soft drinks

Walk into any big Australian supermarket and the first thing that hits you isn’t the smell of fresh bread or the neatly stacked veggies – it’s walls of chocolate bars, lolly bags, energy drinks and two-litre bottles of cola staring you down from ...

Menulog is closing in Australia. Could food delivery soon cost more?

It’s been a rocky road for Australia’s food delivery sector. Over the past decade, major platforms and a smattering of daring, minor players have been jostling for market share. That’s brought rapid change – and also seen several high-profile bus...

Restaurants to visit in St Kilda and South Yarra

Here are six highly-recommended restaurants split between the seaside suburb of St Kilda and the stylish inner-east locale of South Yarra, Melbourne — perfect if you’re planning a food-lovers outing. I’ve included details about what makes each sp...

How early is too early’ for Hot Cross Buns to hit supermarket and bakery shelves

Every year, Australians find themselves in the middle of the nation’s most delicious dilemmas - when is too early for hot cross buns? As soon as the first packs appear in supermarket aisles on Boxing Day, the country divides into two camps: the d...

Business Times

MYER one expands to leading global retailer JD Sports Australia

JD Sports Australia is joining forces with the Myer Group in a new strategic partnership that will see the leading  sneak...

The Industry That Forgot About Women - Until Now

For years, women in trades have started their days pulling on uniforms made for someone else. The fabric was stiff, the c...

How Singapore and Dubai Anchor Modern Global Expansion Models

At a Glance Singapore offers financial structure and tax transparency. Dubai enables trade agility and access to GCC ma...

The Times Features

Andrew Hastie is one of the few Liberal figures who clearly wants to lead his party

He’s said so himself in a podcast appearance earlier this year, stressing that he has “a desire ...

5 Ways to Protect an Aircraft

Keeping aircraft safe from environmental damage and operational hazards isn't just good practice...

Are mental health issues genetic? New research identifies brain cells linked to depression

Scientists from McGill University and the Douglas Institute recently published new research find...

What do we know about climate change? How do we know it? And where are we headed?

The 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (sometimes referred to as COP30) is taking pla...

The Industry That Forgot About Women - Until Now

For years, women in trades have started their days pulling on uniforms made for someone else. Th...

Q&A with Freya Alexander – the young artist transforming co-working spaces into creative galleries

As the current Artist in Residence at Hub Australia, Freya Alexander is bringing colour and creativi...

Indo-Pacific Strength Through Economic Ties

The defence treaty between Australia and Indonesia faces its most difficult test because of econ...

Understanding Kerbside Valuation: A Practical Guide for Property Owners

When it comes to property transactions, not every situation requires a full, detailed valuation. I...

What’s been happening on the Australian stock market today

What moved, why it moved and what to watch going forward. 📉 Market overview The benchmark S&am...