· 6 min read
A gift for someone abroad, without the customs bill
Four ways to get a gift to someone in another country, and the one that usually means they pay no fee when it is delivered.
Gift ideas and advice
What we have learned about choosing a gift that lands: how to read the person, when to spend more, and what to do when nothing comes to mind.
11 articles · Show all
· 5 min read
Everyone brings a gift for the baby. Bring one for her
The baby gets a fourth muslin cloth. The new mum usually gets nothing of her own. Here are gifts that look after her instead.
· 5 min read
Torn between two gift ideas is a good place to be
Having two good options means you already know the person well. Three questions decide most ties. Friends who know them can decide the rest.
· 4 min read
New baby gifts that aren't another muslin
The baby already has plenty in newborn size. The parents usually receive nothing. So buy something for the parents.
· 3 min read
Grapes are a reflex. Comfort is the brief
Most people send flowers and grapes without much thought. What someone who is ill really needs is comfort and distraction.
· 5 min read
Buy for the two of them, not twice for one
One gift for two people who already have everything they need at home. Buying for a couple is a different task from buying for one person.
· 4 min read
The four o'clock whip-round, and how not to buy it
A last-minute office collection usually ends in a rushed gift and a card full of 'good luck'. Here is how to plan it properly.
· 4 min read
Never guess a reader's next book
A book is a risky gift for someone who reads a lot. The things they use while reading are a much safer choice.
· 3 min read
Nobody reads a gift more closely than your best friend
With most people, choosing a gift gets easier as you get closer. With a best friend, it feels harder.
· 3 min read
The house is theirs to decorate. The gift is yours
They have boxes everywhere and clear ideas about how their new home should look. Here is what to give them.
· 5 min read
You know four things about them. That's plenty
A colleague, a new partner's parent, a name pulled out of a hat. Three or four signals go further than you would think.