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How to buy gifts that people actually want

willpatrick.co.uk

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Re: How to buy gifts that people actually want

#151

Post by dheera »

ifixitxmas wrote: post #73

I generally give people things I'd like to have. This year everyone's getting an iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit. They might not need it now or ever but I like encouraging self repair (and often "self" ends up being me).

This may not necessarily be good advice.

I do a lot of photography. I know exactly what I want, I'm damn picky about it, and I don't want anyone buying gear for me. I know other photography enthusiasts and they have things they want, and it's not the same stuff that I want.

In general I'd steer clear of the other person's hobbies unless they have at some point stated exactly what precise product they want.

Re: How to buy gifts that people actually want

#152

Post by croissants »

I think there are two main ways to give a good gift:

1) give the person something that they know they want but that they will not buy themselves

2) give the person something they they don't even know that they want.

I think 2) is much better than 1), but it's also much harder to pull off.

Re: How to buy gifts that people actually want

#153

Post by dheera »

Generally I give and enjoy receiving edible gifts. They don't take up space, they don't end up stashed away for years, they don't clash with my artistic side, and it's much harder to go wrong. Tea leaves, desserts, those sorts of things are all good gifts IMO. Homemade edibles, even better, even if it's not perfect I value homemade things and as a friend I very much value the fact that you tried.

What I really hate (inside) is when people try to buy things related to my interests and hobbies, including electronics and outdoor gear. I'm most picky about those things and there are very specific things I look for in hobby gear that most people outside the hobby wouldn't understand. Also I don't like when people buy household things like silverware and decorations. I have matching sets of those things and if the "intruding" gift doesn't match it will basically sit in a box and never get used.

Re: How to buy gifts that people actually want

#154

Post by yarcob »

war1025 wrote: post #109
busterarm wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My intuition would be to not give a book on baking bread, but on something tangential to bread baking... like a book on brewing or other kinds of fermentation! Something that connects with their expertise but is new to both of you. If somebody is into knives, maybe gift a course on blacksmithing or some japanese whetstones.

> or some japanese whetstones I bought a set of diamond sharpening plates this summer after having had a cheap Arkansas stone for several years. Night and day difference. I can actually get things sharp quickly and consistently now. Since we're on the topic of gifts, if someone out there is thinking of a sharpening setup as a gift, can't recommend diamond plates highly enough. I bought a 300 / 600 / 1200 grit set off…

I've never heard of these diamond plates. Do they take away a lot of material? My whetstones are 2000/6000 grit.

Re: How to buy gifts that people actually want

#155

Post by scollet »

dsr_ wrote: post #44
Afton wrote: post #4

Interesting that they didn't really touch on what I consider the hardest part of buying for someone: domain expertise. If I am known as 'into' something, then the likelihood that someone who isn't also into that same thing will come up with a good gift is shockingly low. I bake bread, for example. A book of 100 bread recipes is basically dead weight to me. I have a friend who is really into knives of various sorts. E…

Since I know about knives, I would buy them a knife. If I was an accomplished bread baker, I would give them a couple of loaves each week for a month -- unless I knew they had a dietary issue. Don't buy a book about programming for a programmer; do buy the best book on programming in Python for a kid who shows interest.

Yeah. There are also indie crafters at that price point with high-quality products.

It's much harder with knowledge material.

Re: How to buy gifts that people actually want

#156

Post by verall »

Afton wrote: post #74
dsr_ wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since I know about knives, I would buy them a knife. If I was an accomplished bread baker, I would give them a couple of loaves each week for a month -- unless I knew they had a dietary issue. Don't buy a book about programming for a programmer; do buy the best book on programming in Python for a kid who shows interest.

You can, but if you consider knives an uninteresting kitchen tool, then you have just given them a $300 knife that they will feel bad about every time they use it open a can of beans. btw: if you do know about knives, please hit me up at my email address and let me pick your brain a bit. [Edit: my email address wasn't in my profile. fixed, but I'll reach out to folks shortly, thanks!].

On the flipside, it can definitely portray a quality on the item - it's not just a $300 knife, but a $300 knife that Jim picked out, and Jim window-shops knives when you walk by his desk. Because Jim picked something he knew about, he knows how to give a better gift.

I'm a big fan of giving the best gift you uniquely know how to give, and failing that something broadly useful or consumable.

Re: How to buy gifts that people actually want

#157

Post by scollet »

kzzzznot wrote: post #138
Chris2048 wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anyone opening a can with a knife should feel bad about it.

I have a nasty scar down my finger from opening a bottle with a knife, I’d advise against using knives like this.

Spoons work great though!

Re: How to buy gifts that people actually want

#158

Post by vincentdm »

I started a website for charitable gift vouchers where the recipient can choose from a very large and varied list of causes to donate to. It turns the receiver into an active participant. The nice thing is that both giver and receiver are left feeling good and generous, which increases the appeal and hopefully leads to even more vouchers being donated in the future.

It’s a local project though (https://www.goodgift.be). Feel free to steal the idea. Just be transparent and preferably don’t take any commissions on the donated amounts.

Re: How to buy gifts that people actually want

#159

Post by Prcmaker »

Afton wrote: post #74
dsr_ wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Since I know about knives, I would buy them a knife. If I was an accomplished bread baker, I would give them a couple of loaves each week for a month -- unless I knew they had a dietary issue. Don't buy a book about programming for a programmer; do buy the best book on programming in Python for a kid who shows interest.

You can, but if you consider knives an uninteresting kitchen tool, then you have just given them a $300 knife that they will feel bad about every time they use it open a can of beans. btw: if you do know about knives, please hit me up at my email address and let me pick your brain a bit. [Edit: my email address wasn't in my profile. fixed, but I'll reach out to folks shortly, thanks!].

Email sent. Knives have been a hobby for a long time. Got to spend some time, when I've visited the US, in workshops of Chad Nichols damascus, Vegas forge, Tom Krein and Brian Fellhoelter. Great fun.

Re: How to buy gifts that people actually want

#160

Post by busterarm »

yarcob wrote: post #154
war1025 wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> or some japanese whetstones I bought a set of diamond sharpening plates this summer after having had a cheap Arkansas stone for several years. Night and day difference. I can actually get things sharp quickly and consistently now. Since we're on the topic of gifts, if someone out there is thinking of a sharpening setup as a gift, can't recommend diamond plates highly enough. I bought a 300 / 600 / 1200 grit set off…

I've never heard of these diamond plates. Do they take away a lot of material? My whetstones are 2000/6000 grit.

I use diamond plates to flatten my whetstones mostly, because masochism.

They're also great on blades. You wanna look for DMT / Dia-Sharp. All the big online knife shops should have you covered here (epicurean edge, etc)

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