A thoughtful gift doesn’t always have to be the biggest or the most expensive one. More often than not, it’s the one that makes someone feel that you really know them. That feeling comes from little details, like choosing something that fits their personality or adding a handwritten note. Here are five easy ways to make any gift feel more meaningful.
1. Choose a Gift That Matches Their Everyday Life
Giving a thoughtful gift requires paying attention to the little things. What do they enjoy doing after work? What hobbies do they talk about all the time? Those everyday details may lead you to a gift they’ll actually love. That’s worth remembering, especially since more than one in three people returned or planned to return holiday gifts they received in 2025.
If they spend weekends trying new recipes, a beautiful cookbook or a quality kitchen gadget could become a favorite. For someone who always has a book in hand, a cozy blanket or reading light can be their favorite companion. If fitness is their thing, a stylish water bottle or yoga accessory is something they’ll genuinely use.
2. Express Your Feelings With a Color
Color does more than make a gift look pretty. It can also help express how you feel, which makes your present a lot more personal. If you’re giving flowers, for example, the color you choose can carry its own message. Here are a few classic examples:
- Yellow often symbolizes friendship and joy, presumably because the color evokes feelings like happiness and warmth. This color can be a lovely choice for a close friend or someone who could use a little cheering up.
- Soft pinks, including baby pink and pastel pink, represent grace and gentleness. They work beautifully in thank-you gifts or for celebrating special occasions.
- Brighter pink shades, such as coral and magenta, are often linked to admiration, appreciation and gratitude.
Even if the recipient doesn’t know the symbolism, choosing colors with intention can make your gift more thoughtful. Better yet, if they have a favorite color, incorporating it into the wrapping or gift itself makes everything feel more personal.
3. Add Something Handmade
Handmade gifts can be a little polarizing. Some people absolutely love receiving them, while others would rather unwrap something from a shop. Still, research suggests that handmade gifts can strengthen social relationships because they’re often seen as more unique than machine-made ones. That uniqueness can make the gift feel more personal.
The trick is choosing something that you know the recipient would appreciate. It could be something simple, like a batch of their favorite brownies, a painted flower pot, a personalized bookmark, a framed photo, a knitted scarf or a handmade mug. Once it’s finished, give it the same care you’d give any other present. Wrap it neatly and maybe share a story about why you made it.
You also don’t need to make everything yourself. You can support local artists, craft markets or small businesses by choosing handmade candles, ceramics, jewelry, soaps or home decor. These gifts are still one-of-a-kind because no two pieces are exactly the same.
4. Include a Heartfelt Note
Have you ever found an old card tucked inside a drawer and stopped to read it all over again? That’s the magic of a heartfelt note. A few sincere lines about why you picked the gift, a funny memory you still laugh about or something you genuinely admire about the person can mean far more than a simple “Happy Birthday” or “Happy Holidays.”
If they’re passionate about sustainability, you can make the card yourself, too. Greeting cards can be surprisingly expensive, and the industry also contributes to paper waste and deforestation. Since trees help remove roughly 48 pounds of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, reusing old cardboard, packaging or magazine pages to create a handmade card is a thoughtful touch for both the recipient and the Earth.
5. Pair the Main Gift With a Small Thoughtful Extra
Gifts aren’t exactly cheap these days. In fact, a survey found that 75% of respondents felt gift-giving had become more expensive due to inflation and tariffs. Fortunately, making a present feel more personal doesn’t always mean spending more. Sometimes, one small addition is all it takes.
You can create a mini gift bundle that makes the whole thing feel like an experience. Slip a packet of their favorite tea or hot chocolate into a new mug, pair a journal with colorful pens or match a scented candle with a cozy blanket. Gardening gloves and a few packets of flower or herb seeds also make a thoughtful combination.
Wrapping It Up
The next time you’re shopping for a birthday, holiday or “just because” gift, remember that the finishing touches can be just as important as what’s inside the box. A thoughtful color choice or a personalized extra can turn an ordinary present into one they’ll remember forever.
*Guest contribution
