70 Reasons to Give Someone a Gift: Your Ultimate Guide

A gift is many things from small gestures of appreciation and caring to a thoughtful gift to express our love to someone we care about deeply.

Reasons to give someone a gift. These reasons will include love, appreciation, communication, special occasions, unexpected, bonding, atonement, charity, and no reason.

Do you know a person who does not light up when they receive a gift from someone who loves them? It reiterates to them that they are loved and cared for.

Almost always it is the gesture and not the gift that matters to most of us. This is why it is important to give gifts.

Reasons to give someone a gift

Why Do You Give Someone a Gift?

Below are, I believe, some of the best reasons to give someone special in your life a gift.

1. Love

When love and affection are the basis for the gift we are giving it expresses how deeply we feel for this person. The gift can be for any occasion, but the most special occasion is the one out of the blue or for no reason at all.

Your loved one will feel every emotion including feeling loved, special, and appreciated with this gift.

2. Appreciation

The joy of feeling appreciated is only second to love. It is so easy for us all to get bogged down in daily life that we are all guilty of taking others for granted.

A small token or gesture of appreciation is a great way to change someone’s day in a good way.

3. Communication

Gifts can help relationships stay alive and in the present when you are separated. Keeping in touch with loved ones and friends can be difficult when you are not able to interact on a daily basis.

An example of this would be someone away in the armed services.

Speaking daily is difficult but a gift in the mail will reach them, surprise them, and let them know you are thinking of them constantly.

Handwritten letters or cards can sometimes be the greatest gift to an isolated loved one.

4. Encouragement

Encouragement, there is no greater gift a person can give another. The absolute best part about this gift is that it does not need to cost you a cent. Well, maybe a couple of cents to cover the cost of the telephone call, the fuel, or your time.

The dizzying heights encouragement can achieve are amazing. We do it to help our babies grow and achieve milestones, and we should keep doing that all their lives. We also encourage everyone around us all the time.

5. Thank You

The best way to say thank you is with a handwritten card or a small gift that leaves an impression of acknowledgment lasting a lifetime.

6. Special Occasions

These include the various holidays on the yearly calendar Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, etc.

Invitations to parties such as birthdays, graduations, showers, weddings, christenings, and other family events.

7. Unexpected Gift

That is the gift that turns up when you least expect it. Generally, from someone you least expect a gift from. Maybe they live overseas, or a friend is traveling and found a trinket that you must have.

The feelings of happiness that are derived from this gift can last for days, weeks, or months.

8. No Special Reason

This gift or gesture tells someone that they are cared for and loved more than any other.

If you are aware that a friend or loved one is struggling or not feeling their best they will know you care when you reach out with a small gesture.

No gift required a telephone call, a one-pot dinner delivered to their door. Or even something to look forward to like a lunch or coffee date can change their mood in an instant.

9. Bonding

The giving and receiving of gifts create memories and bonds between people that they will carry throughout their lives. The feelings that memories such as these conjure up are priceless.

10. Charitable Contributions

These are usually personal. They also do not require money as a contribution.

Have you ever heard the saying “time is money”? Sometimes, the donation of time far outweighs the money that could be contributed. This type of gift is also what builds communities.

These contributions are needed and appreciated by many, including voluntary organizations, sporting clubs, schools, and many more.

Charitable contributions are for you, the gift giver, to feel great about yourself. As well, you should – thank you!

11. Atonement

Giving a gift that requires forgiveness in return is not exactly a great reason to give a gift. If it is required remember to be humble and, above all, do not expect forgiveness on the spot.

surprise gift

Other Reasons to Give a Gift

The following list will help you to identify if someone you care about may need a little lift from you.

  • A friend, family member, or loved one is feeling down
  • A friend, neighbor, or loved one is sick, bedridden, or injured
  • Someone has suffered the loss of a loved one
  • When someone loses a pet
  • You know someone is having a busy week/s
  • Moving into a new home
  • Starting a new job
  • Starting school or college at home or exchange students
  • Serviceman leaving for a tour
  • Someone living in a retirement or nursing home
  • When you are separated by distance
  • Friends living alone
  • Empty Nesters

What Is the Perfect Gift

shopping for the perfect gift

The perfect gift is the one that tells your loved one that you are invested in their lives and that you are paying attention. After all, everyone has a wish list!

So when considering what unique gift to give, dig deep and try to find out what is really required for this particular time in your loved one’s life.

Remember that a gift can range from a lavish and expensive gift to a handmade gift made with much thought, time, and love. Then there is the gift like a handwritten gift card and notes, telephone calls, and time.

We should also remember the power of the gift of a verbal compliment.

Gift Suggestions

I would say that the easiest to buy for would be someone studying, learning a new sport, or teaching themselves a new hobby.

  • Books
  • Courses (online or not)
  • Tutoring
  • Music Lessons
  • Extra sport coaching
  • Musical instrument

Then we have those who love to stay fit and healthy. These gifts let them know you want to help keep them motivated to achieve their health and fitness goals.

  • Gym gear – clothes, bag, bottle, shoes, headphones
  • Body-weight scales
  • Gym membership
  • Massage

We all have those friends and loved ones who love to prepare and cook food and entertain. – “THE BEST”

  • Cookbooks
  • Anything for the kitchen
  • Serving platters
  • Gift baskets – with a full meal inside that can be prepared
  • Restaurant voucher – give them a night off!
  • Invite them to your place for a meal for a change

Apart from sleeping, we usually spend most of our time with work colleagues. So it is not unusual to give gifts at the office these could include:-

  • Takeaway coffee
  • Homemade morning or afternoon tea
  • Birthday cake
  • Flowers or a potted plant for their desk
  • Chocolates or candy
  • A book

What Can You Give Instead of Gifts?

The gift of time is one that will be cherished by some loved ones in your life as they do not need or want anything else. The young, the ill, and the elderly are loved ones who want you, not a special gift.

  • Babysit the new addition to the family and give the parents a break – a couple of hours is all they need to refresh
  • Spend time with children, pass on wisdom, play with them, teach them – they thrive on kind words and on one quality time with someone who cares about them
  • Check on your neighbors – have a coffee, take some homemade items over to them, walk their dog – just to let them know you are around
  • Spend time at the retirement or nursing home. Make all those there, including staff, feel appreciated. Homemade items are a must to take along! Even a potted plant; some even let you bring a pet these days, and the residents love to interact with them

Ultimate List of Reasons to Give a Gift

Best Reasons & Occasions to Give Someone a Gift
1Love
2Appreciation
3Communication
4Encouragement
5Special occasions
6Unexpected gift
7No Special Reason
8Bonding
9Charitable contributions
10Atonement
12Congratulations
13Feeling down
14Sick
15Injured
16Bereavement/Greaving
17Loss of a beloved pet
18Busy or stressful week
19Welcome
20Promotion
21New Job
22New Home
23Starting school
24Starting college
25Exchange students
26Traveling abroad
27Tour of duty
28Good luck
29Goodbye
30Welcome Home
31Retirement home
32Nursing home
33Long-distance
34Living alone
35Best teacher
36Best Friend
37Health care worker
38Best Veterinarian
39Best Cleaner
40Best Hairdresser
41Best Pastor
42Best music teacher
43Best Coach
44Welcome to the neighborhood
45Christmas
46Hanukkah
47Easter
48Halloween
49Valentines Day
50Engagements
51Wedding Showers
52Weddings
53Anniversaries
54Gender reveal parties
55Baby Showers
56Births
57Baptisms/Christenings
58Birthdays
59Mothers Day
60Fathers Day
61Tooth fairy
62Bat mitzvahs
63Bar mitzvahs
64Quinceaneras
65Graduations
66Debut
67Retirement
68Hens Night
69Bucks Party
70Sleepovers
Reasons and Occasions for Gifts

Final Thoughts About the Reasons to Give Someone a Gift

There are so many reasons for giving gifts. For most of us, these reasons can be emotional and extremely personal. Gifts can also be given out of caring, appreciation, and fun.

Don’t just wait to give a holiday gift during the holiday season. That would mean it is a long time between gifts… Whatever your reason, embrace gift-giving and put a smile on the face of that special person in your life.

Remember that meaningful gifts should be given without expecting anything but gratitude.

When deciding whether to give a gift or not – remember how you felt the last time receiving a gift made you feel…

May a gift continue to be a way to express to our friends and loved ones how much they mean to us and bring a smile to their faces that we put there!