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How-To: Give the Perfect Gift

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Iowa chapter.

Everyone loves receiving presents — the surprise along with the joy of adding a new top to your closet from your mom or a new bracelet from your friend. is always exciting Getting the gifts is the easy part, but what about giving them? Sometimes it seems impossible to find the perfect gift for your best friend. Millions of things go through your mind, like if they will like what you got for them. I was going through this dilemma very recently and I had no idea what to get for my best friend. It’s my best friend – buying a birthday gift should be easy, but it just seemed impossible. I had many ideas, but I just couldn’t fully commit to any of them. After careful consideration, I finally bought a baseball jersey with her favorite player’s number and a watch. Here are a few basic tips, so buying your friend a great gift will be a little easier.

The first step in finding the perfect gift is: Decide on a budget.
Deciding on a budget right away will help you narrow down your gift choices and make things more manageable instead of overwhelming.

The next step during the gift hunt is: Considering the occasion of the gift giving.
What’s the occasion? When considering the occasion, think about whether this gift is something you want them to cherish forever or something fun that will make them laugh.

Step number three is: Consider the recipient’s personality.
What are they like? For example, are they girly, quirky, etc.? Depending on their personality, you can look in to a practical gift that they could use or something decorative for their home.

Fourth step is: Think if they have a hobby or any particular interests
If your friend has a particular interest, you could get them a book on their hobby or some supplies for it. For example, if they enjoy making jewelry, you could get a book or some pretty beads for their next project.

The final step is: Make sure it’s personal.
This person is your friend that means a lot to you and make sure they know that. Get something you can personalize and make your own that they can cherish. Something like a picture frame that you decorated with a picture of a fun time you and your friend had is very personal and something your friend would totally appreciate. 

Hopefully these tips help you find the perfect gift for your friend the next time an occasion arises. Just remember, they are your friend and what ever you get them, they will love.  

Emily is a junior at the University of Iowa and is studying Journalism and Pre-Law with a minor in Health Communication. She has been a part of the Her Campus University of Iowa team since it was founded in 2010 and is a member of Ed on Campus. She has grown to love magazine writing and editing and if she somehow can't land her dream job (to be Carrie Bradshaw), she wouldn't mind settling for a job in the magazine industry. If nothing else, she hopes to attend law school somewhere in the Bay Area out West, her favorite place to be. Since the age of 15, Emily spent her summers in California, doing internships and falling in love with San Francisco. Some of her other interests include her 4-month-old longhaired wiener dog Henry, blogging, celebrity gossip, sushi, Private Practice, fro-yo, being a journalism nerd, and anything involving good conversation with good people. Although she's not exactly sure of her plans for the future, she knows journalism will somehow be the driving force in her career.