If the thought of trudging along a chaotic high street in sub-zero temperatures to peruse sickly-sweet bath bombs for your mother-in-law fills you with unbridled rage, you are not alone.
But the art of gifting doesn’t involve last-minute dashes or impulse purchases. Just ask Men’s Health Fitness Director Andrew Tracey and Deputy Chief Sub-Editor Matt Blackwell, who’ve mastered the balance of thoughtful gifting and sensible spending. Here’s their expert guide to approaching the season like a pro.
Make a plan
‘I put a lot of time into planning what to buy each person,’ says Blackwell. ‘Saving little and often through the year means I’ve usually covered most of my shopping by late autumn.’ This methodical approach pays off – especially for those investment pieces that make memorable gifts.
We know December can be a very expensive month. For larger purchases, consider spreading the cost. ‘My partner and I set firm budgets,’ says Tracey. ‘Tools like Klarna’s Pay in 3 let you split bigger purchases into three interest-free instalments, which helps when investing in quality gifts.’
Klarna also allows you to pay in up to 30 days, giving users the ability to defer payments until after the holidays. This is especially convenient when facing the inevitable ‘Did you keep the receipt?’ question, and means you’re not waiting weeks to get your money back.
Klarna’s Pay in 3/Pay in 30 days are unregulated credit agreements. Borrowing more than you can afford or paying late may negatively impact your financial status and ability to obtain credit. 18+, UK residents only. Subject to status. Ts&Cs and late fees apply.
Setting a budget and managing expectations is also a great way to avoid Christmas Day drama. Allocating a spending limit between family members is a smart move. Everyone loves socks, but when you’ve received a first-class holiday to the Maldives in return, you’ll look like the biggest festive villain since Alan Rickman in Love Actually.
Shop smart
If you really are clueless when it comes to gift-giving, the AI assistant in the Klarna app now offers a chat-based shopping experience, helping users find the right goods at the right price. The AI assistant provides personalised product recommendations, expert advice, category and brand comparisons, and access to customer reviews. Try asking it questions like ‘What can I give my partner who loves staying active and being outdoors?’ and ‘What are some thoughtful gift ideas for those who seem to have everything?’. You can even give it a price range to stick to.
Signing up for an abundance of newsletters to receive extra discounts and be alerted to any sales is also a clever move. When you’re done with gift shopping and never want to hear from these retailers again (well, until next year), there’s a bunch of Gmail plugins that can help you clean up your inbox. Even if a list requires a formal email request, some plugins can even send one for you.
Think timeless
Whether it’s a slushy-making machine or a digital picture frame, it’s best to avoid trend-led Christmas gifts. They’re only going to end up in the bin or regifted the year after. ‘Classic accessories or a quality fragrance shows thought and consideration,’ says Blackwell. ‘It’s worth spending a bit more on items that last.’
Invest in timeless offerings of premium quality from respected brands. For men’s fragrances, think woody and leather scents with notes of vanilla; for women, a floral classic like rose or patchouli is hard to beat (the same goes for candles).
For clothing, avoid brash colours and opt for versatile shades. When in doubt, keep it monochrome. As for fabrics, look out for cashmere, mohair, 100% cotton, rayon and silk. And don’t feel like buying a good quality T-shirt for someone is a cop out. Buying well-made basics is probably one of the most useful and fail-safe options there is.
Regardless of what you end up buying, never settle for the first price you see. ‘Price-comparison tools save serious time,’ says Blackwell. ‘The search-and-compare feature in the Klarna app does the legwork for you.’
For the more sentimental among you, a family picture in a frame that matches the decor of the person’s home is always a winner. Or go the extra mile and get a bespoke illustration commissioned.
If you are ordering something as unique and individual as artwork or jewellery, make sure you check the shipping deadlines. The ‘Santa must have left it in his sack’ line might work on an infant, less so on your 31-year-old fiancee.
Don’t forget the final touches
Looks aren’t everything, but when it comes to presents, appearance always matters. ‘You get about four perfectly wrapped presents out of me before standards slip,’ laughs Tracey. ‘But there’s something satisfying about a proper wrapping session with seasonal music playing.’
A lot of stores and online outlets offer gift-wrapping services at the checkout, but if you prefer the old-fashioned approach, pull up a video tutorial and follow along. They’ll love the thought – even if it does look like it’s survived a category-five hurricane.
As for writing the tag, you can do better than ‘To XXX, from XXX’. Whether you add some humour (‘For someone who actually reads the tags…’) or genuine sentiment (‘Another year of making memories together…’), adding a personal touch like this is the final step in showing that you’ve thought about every element of their gift.
Klarna is the smart way to shop and pay. Try it out now and make Christmas shopping simpler than ever