Surprising someone with a perfect birthday present is a feeling that can’t be replicated. However, striking gold with a present and getting an honestly surprised and happy reaction is not an easy task. If you love to give presents to dear people in your life, here’s a little guide on how to always choose something perfect.

Open Your Ears

Here’s an idea great gift-givers often use—make a list of things people close to you often mention and use this list as a gift inspiration. If you listen carefully, you’ll notice how many times people share their wishes and needs. For instance, they might mention a cute jacket they have just seen on someone or complement your perfume. Write these things down and when the time comes to surprise them for their birthday, you can check the list and buy a perfect gift every time.

Think About How To Make Their Life Easier

In many cases, happiness and satisfaction don’t come from adding more positives to peoples’ lives but from removing the negatives. Therefore, your next gift might be aimed at removing an issue you know has been bothering them for a while. For instance, you can book an appointment with a handyman and have them fix small issues in their home. Or you can remove some of the pain and tension with a spa and massage day at home. Maybe you can get them a gift card for meal delivery if they often get too busy to cook.

Focus on Their Interests

You probably know one or two interests of your gift recipient, so make sure to consider them well and buy something that will cater to that interest. For instance, if your friend is a plant lover, why not surprise them with a new planter, a cute watering can, or even a new addition to their leafy family? And don’t think long-distance friends and family can’t be surprised with plants. You might not be able to ship them, but you can order plant delivery. If you live in Australia, you can find wonderful plant gifts in Sydney and have them delivered to your recipient’s doorstep. This gift will be a great surprise because who doesn’t love deliveries! You can do the same with other interests and always get the perfect gift.

Invest in Experiences

No matter if your gift recipient is your friend, family member, or your significant other, you can surprise them with a fun experience. For instance, a daily excursion to a nearby national park or adrenaline park is always a good idea. Maybe you can organize a murder mystery party for all your friends or book a room escape experience. Tickets to a concert or a sports game are also a great idea they can share with you or their closest family. The gift of memories they will create is often worth much more than any material gift you can give them.

Provide Them With Freedom

Sometimes, no matter how much you try to come up with an amazing gift idea, it might miss your brain completely. In that case, give your birthday boy or girl the gift of freedom to choose their own present. Today, most stores have gift cards so choose their favorite store and allow them to browse on their own time using your gift card. This way, your gift will definitely not go unused and your recipient will end up with something they like and need. Make sure to avoid gift cards with expiration dates, because you don’t want to rush their purchasing decisions and turn your gift into a chore or obligation.

Personalize the Gift

If you love to be thoughtful, you can take a simple step and personalize the gift you’ve already planned. For instance, if you know your recipient likes jewelry, you can personalize the piece with their birthstone and their initials. This way, every time someone asks them about the jewelry piece, your birthday boy or girl will remember you and the fun day you had. And personalizing the gift definitely doesn’t mean putting your OWN name or face on things, unless it’s a funny joke present.

Don’t Overcomplicate Things

You might know your gift recipient your whole life, but still don’t know every single thing about them. But you know who does? Your birthday boy or girl knows themselves the best, so when they tell you they want or don’t want something, trust them. You might try to be extra thoughtful and go all-in on some extravagant thing when all your recipient wanted was a simple dinner—don’t do that. In many cases, the most thoughtful gifts are exactly the ones they told you about.

Don’t forget to include a special card with your gift! These pop-up birthday cards are the perfect way to celebrate, and you can even personalize them with a heartwarming note or photo. Next time you have to buy a gift, consider these tips and ideas and you’ll definitely get something your recipient will cherish and keep forever. Be moderate yet generous and try to really put many thoughts into your present—it’s the details that count the most.