You know what makes a good gift? Remembering that your friend has been hunting for a particular book for six months. Knowing that your sister will always choose silver jewellery over gold. Finding the one thing your partner mentioned in passing and promptly forgot about. These are the little victories of knowing someone well.
The problem isn’t adding a personal touch; it’s assuming every available personal touch deserves to be added. “The meaning of anything, tangible or intangible, is driven largely by context. What seems like a private punchline between two people will likely seem cringe when it’s embroidered on a polo T-shirt. For a client that specialised in diamonds, Ekatra created a do-it-yourself block-printing kit with blocks that allowed recipients to print designs with their families and frame the results at home. It made for an activity, an introduction to a craft and a custom final product. Ekatra also included a tag with the name of the woman artisan. The recipients loved it. Look to Insta for inspiration on how a gift can feel personal without a name or photo added to it. Zine-makers have created one-of-a-kind magazines celebrating a friend’s breakup. Buddies have paid a gym to play only the birthday girl’s playlist when she works out that day. Colleagues have chipped in to pay for someone’s home renovations to mark their work anniversary. College kids have crocheted separate little bits to sew into a scarf for that one friend.
Few gifts travel well outside the room they were born in, says Hyderabad-based behaviourist Pranjal Mani Tripathi.
