Sending or receiving a gift can feel wonderful – especially if the sender has made an effort to make you something truly personal. Here are 4 ways you can add unique and affecting touches to your gifts before you send them.
Photographs
A photograph is a wonderful way of making a gift more personal. Sharing a memory that you and the recipient have had together, a landscape you have shared or an image from nature that they hold dear to their heart is sure to let them know you care. Photographs don’t have to be presented in their traditional flimsy form. Three Dimensional bubblegram engravings from companies like Crystal Impressions display your chosen photograph inside a crystalline ornament. There are plenty of other alternative ways of displaying and sending photographs. Physical images can be truly cherished – much more so than when displayed on a screen.
Scent
Scent is an immensely powerful sense. Smells can evoke memories, provoke arousal and unlock just about every emotion it is possible to feel. Including a scent special to you and your gift’s recipient is a great way of finding a way to their heart. There is a long history of lovers including a whiff of their perfume in their gifts and letters. If you feel like going the extra mile, there is a large range of scented inks currently in the market that you can use to sensorily enrich your gift. Including petals or items of clothing with your gift isn’t quite as recommended. Perfumes usually retain their distinctive scent when posted or stored, whereas raw scents change over time due to microbial growth and entropy.
Art
Making a completely unique piece of art to go along with your gift is a great way of making it feel personal. You don’t need to be Pablo Picasso to make a piece of art that will be cherished by your gift’s recipient. The very fact that you have painted, sculpted or drawn something personal and unique for them will be greatly appreciated.
The Written Word
The letter included with a gift is often the most touching and personal element by a long way. Writing a note and popping it in the bag is easy, free and genuinely lets the recipient know how much you care. You don’t exactly need to be a poet in order to make a note personal. Do you miss the recipient? Let them know. Have some juicy gossip to discuss? Spill it. Is there a special memory of the recipient that inspired the present you are giving them? Jolt their mind back to that moment.
A note shouldn’t be an essay. Keep things simple and personal. Don’t pay a company to print your message in fake cursive or corny bubble font. This is generally offered by florists and gift services but tends to look tacky. Write the letter yourself. Even if you have to post the letter separately to the gift, it will make a big impression when it arrives.
Tammie~
heather says
Thanks for sharing these tips I will keep them in mind. I love giving gifts with a personal touch.
Dana Rodriguez says
These are all great ideas. Perfect for the upcoming holidays.
Aapje says
You can also ask their close relatives for ideas.
Jeanna Massman says
Thanks for the ideas!
Barrie says
Great Ideas! Better than sending a gift card as a last resort!
Sarah L says
My friend is an artist and I love getting little pictures from her.