The Perfect Gift: #1

As much as I am here to tell you what the best gifts are, how to give great gifts and what the rules are for giving well... I'm also here to get you thinking and talking about your own gift giving experiences.
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As much as I am here to tell you what the best gifts are, how to give great gifts and what the rules are for giving well... I'm also here to get you thinking and talking about your own gift giving experiences.

So, I'm starting a feature in my posts here on Stylelist Home where I'm going to tell you a story in the hopes that you'll tell me a story too. Storytelling is a great way to show people through example. By sharing our stories, we will inspire each other to be more thoughtful and inspiring with the gifts that we give. (And, we'll hopefully get some good ideas while we're at it!) Please don't be shy. These articles depend on everyone getting involved.

Without further ado, here's the first question. Please share your own answer to the question by commenting on this post. Thank you in advance for participating!

Q:
What is the most wonderful gift that you have ever given? Tell the story and why you think it stands out.

A:
The best gift that I have ever given is a tough one. As a gift expert the bar is pretty high with every gift that I give. But, one thing comes to mind first when that question comes up.

For my husband's (then boyfriend's) birthday one year I decided to create a scavenger hunt for him. I put clues on small pieces of paper that I folded up and numbered. Then I placed them in order in a ring box. He could only open the next clue after he solved the prior. The day took us all over New York City from having signature drinks at a famous restaurant to reading to each other in Central Park to an obscure library exhibit (we're literary folk, what can I say?) and finally ended by picking up tickets to a concert for a band that we both loved at the time. It was such a memorable day. My husband still has that ring box with all of the clues folded back up.


Why was it such a great gift?
It was a day out that we both will remember for a long time. I put a lot of thought into creating the clues so that each would reveal just enough. I also made sure that each stop was something that he would like and probably hadn't done before with anyone else. It was one of the most thoughtful gifts that I'd ever given anyone and it felt great to put myself out there like that.

Dana Holmes is a lifestyle, gift & etiquette expert who acts as editor-in-chief of Gifts.com and the Gift Rap Blog. She has been working in trend forecasting and gift recommendations for the past decade. Dana loves making occasions special with her unique gift ideas, tips and touches. She has been interviewed by the New York Times, Associated Press, Fox & Friends, TODAY in NY and many more.

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