We often give each other safe gifts that provide for pretty fleeting entertainment. But why not push the boat out a bit further and focus on gifts that can help our loved ones improve themselves in various ways? Here are some ideas!
Expand their music taste
Perhaps this person only really listens to whatever happens to be in the charts or playing in the clubs. It can be difficult to get people into other forms of music; getting them outside of their musical comfort zone and exploring more imaginative, adventurous musical territory. But there are ways of doing it. One of the ways to do this is to buy them a CD as a gift. CDs are a lot harder to ignore when it comes to musical recommendations.
You shouldn’t let your “suggestions” veer too far away from what they like already. Here’s an idea: if they mostly listen to the rap music in the charts, then you could get something a bit more underground, or a classic from the 90s. You could also consider checking out WhoSampled and getting them some music from artists that are sampled in their favorite rap tracks!
Encourage a sharp new look
You don’t exactly want to tell someone that their wardrobe isn’t that great… but nudging them in a more stylish direction can help do this in a more constructive manner!
If they just have tacky t-shirts and ripped jeans, then consider getting them something with more style, or even going with something a little riskier such as a bomber jacket. Wearing something casual but smarter than usual can help them feel more confident branching out into a new style. This list of Manly Matters gift ideas can also help people explore some more stylish approaches to personal grooming! This is good if you think, for example, their facial hair could be a good look if only they tamed it a little more!
Get them to challenge themselves
Perhaps the person in question likes to read. But do they read anything particularly challenging? Reading difficult (but fun) novels can help improve your brainpower and imaginative skills much more than slimmer, more easygoing volumes. Why not consider buying them a copy of something like Infinite Jest?
You could also encourage them to challenge themselves by buying them a course on, or a voucher for, something like online course sites like Udemy. Learning a new skill is a key element of self-improvement! This could be the most life-changing gift of them all, because learning a new skill could end up with them being on a completely different and lucrative career trajectory!
Subscription ideas
Subscriptions are usually advertised as good gift ideas, but not that many people really buy them as gifts for anyone other than themselves! But buying your loved one a subscription to something can help in many of areas, including some we’ve already discussed. Vinyl Me Please, for example, offers exclusive records every month. Subscriptions to publications like The Economist or The New Yorker can help them deepen their understanding of news items and artistic culture.
