How to become a good and thoughtful gift-giver

Choosing the right gift can feel difficult, but it is possible to buy something meaningful that will please your loved ones – and stay out of the trash

My family members are incredible gift-givers. Every birthday and holiday, they manage to select exactly what the recipient wanted – or didn’t know they wanted.

I didn’t inherit this gene.

Inevitably, I wait until the last minute, panic and buy something totally random. My parents’ closets (and, I assume, trash cans) are full of my misguided offerings: a Lego orchid, hair masks, a woodworking kit.

But I yearn to be a good gift giver. I want to make my friends and family feel seen, appreciated, and also impressed by how thoughtful and wonderful I am.