How to pick the perfect gift here in Kenya
Gifting is an art that many Kenyans have, unfortunately, failed to master. Some people think they are great at gifting but kwa ground, most people in the 254 need to do better.
Whether it’s a birthday gift or your workplace’s Secret Santa gifting game, many people have been disappointed with the gifts they have gotten.
While you can argue that it’s the thought that counts as opposed to the gift itself, it’s still a painful pill to swallow when you get a bad gift.
Also, if you’re going to go through the trouble of buying a gift, it only makes sense to pick an item that the receiver will appreciate.
In a work setting, for example, if your boss gives you a bad gift, you may be forced to stand there and pretend all is okay, depending on the type of boss you have.
If you ever experience such a scenario, we recommend you share this article with them to prevent a reoccurrence of the same. Sadly, you’ll feel much worse if you had given someone a good gift and got played in return.
To help all you poor gifters out there, we’ve come up with a comprehensive gifting guide customized for Kenyans. In this guide, we’ll go over the common mistakes people make when gifting here in Kenya and how you can avoid these pitfalls. We’ll also detail a simple formula that you can follow to ensure you always pick the best gift.
For starters, let’s go over the common mistakes people make when gifting. Chances are you’ve made at least one of these mistakes knowingly or unknowingly.
- Not doing your research:
Many of you are bad at gifting simply because you don’t do any research. This is especially true for Secret Santa and other group gifting activities.
Research simply means getting to know the tastes and preferences of the person you are gifting as well as what they might need to solve a specific problem. For example, if you’ve never seen your colleague wearing a fedora hat, why would you go out and buy them one?
You can do your research by asking the person directly or indirectly (through a third party). Alternatively, you can go for neutral gifts such as a diary or water bottle.
- Overspending:
While this isn’t the worst mistake that you can make when gifting someone here in Kenya, it’s still a bad precedent to set.
This mistake typically happens during Secret Santa and in group settings or when you’re madly in love with someone. For the latter, get a grip and control yourself.
Giving someone an expensive gift, especially when the person is more of an acquaintance or colleague, will only make the receiver uncomfortable and dent your wallet for nothing. This also applies to new relationships. Save the expensive gifts for a very close friend, business partner or family member.
- Underspending:
This is arguably the most common mistake done by Kenyans. While there are many gift options that are very cheap or in some cases free, in most gifting scenarios, you’ll need to spend some amount of money on the gift.
This is especially true for group gifting and Secret Santa. If you decide to go cheap, make sure the gift is unique or has sentimental value. For groups, it’s best to set a minimum and maximum budget for everyone to ensure uniformity and fairness.
- Not planning early:
Many of you are guilty of this. The problem with doing things at the last minute is you don’t have enough time to plan for exigencies.
You may also not be able to raise enough funds to select a good gift and you risk having the gift delivered late. The earlier you can plan and buy the gift, the easier the gifting process will be for everyone.
Now that you know the mistakes you need to avoid when gifting, let’s go over what you need to do to pick the perfect gift here in Kenya.
- Plan in advance:
Identify the dates and occasions you’ll be gifting someone. You can then set a reminder on your calendar app.
- Eliminate guesswork as much as possible:
Do your research and find out what the person you’re gifting likes, wants or needs. If you can’t get this information or you’re still confused about what to get, just go for a generic gift such as a planner, photo frame, mug or water bottle.
- Be creative:
Once you’ve done the research, go for a gift that stands out in some way. If it’s a mug, you can have it customized with a special message. If it’s a diary or planner, go for one with unique colors or an interesting design. Don’t go too overboard though.
For items like shoes, for example, don’t go for a rainbow color unless you’re certain the receiver will love the crazy colors.
- Make it fun:
Try to spice up the gifting process as much as possible. A simple but effective example is doing the gifting after a good meal or drink.
You can also do the gifting in a serene or classy environment, depending on your specific situation. Just try and avoid being dull and too predictable.
That’s it, you’re now officially a great gifter. Now go out there and make yourself proud the next time you need to gift someone.