Really?? Do you even KNOW me?
If you ever got a generic gift for your birthday or holiday and felt offended because it was so impersonal, your Love Language might be Receiving Gifts.
Love Language #5 is Receiving Gifts. People whose love language is Gifts are usually amazing at gift-giving. They will challenge their creativity to make something that is specifically tailored to you. The motto for Gifts people is: “I want to HAVE it.” Whenever they look at the gift, they feel like “you really get me.” They may not provide a wish-list for what they want for the holidays because “if you know me, you should know what I want.”
The gift doesn’t have to be expensive. It could be a single favorite flower or Starbucks drink. The gift represents love and that the giver pays attention. It is even better when it is tailored or personalized. This shows that it is special and thought went in to creating it.
Clues your Love Language might be Receiving Gifts:
- You hunt for the perfect gift to give people on their birthday.
- You wrap gifts in creative and precise ways.
- You are offended to receive a generic gifts for the holidays that everyone got.
- People may have accused you of being materialistic because you want a loved one to “buy me something special.”
This love language is more difficult for me to express because I am not into “stuff.” I am the kind of person who systematically purges. I do not enjoy shopping. Gift-giving is my blind-spot as my bottom ranked Love Language. Some of my friends’ love language is receiving gifts. I have to start thinking early about what present to give for special occasions because I want my gift to say, “I know you.”
Reflect & Share: What gift have you received that communicates “you really get me”? What personalized gifts have you given that were a hit?
Find out your Love Language here.
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I have made towels with people’s names or nicknames on them, or given gifts that have their name in it (for a child there are CDs with songs that have their name in it). As far as a gift I’ve received….hmmm…I am “quality time”, so that means more to me than anything. As for a material gift, getting something that supports a hobby of mine is always special.
I made my husband (during the early dating months) a CD of love songs that had a theme or lyric that reminded me of him or conversations we’ve had. I gave it to him before I left to go out of town. It is the updated version of a “mixed tape.”
Gifts is definitely last on my list, and in fact, having someone give me a gift as sort of a make up for spending quality time with me just makes me angry! But, I think I may have a friend whose first language is gifts, because she seems always able to give something that is special. I think she really does pay attention. I always feel awkward giving gifts to everyone but the very closest ones to me because I don’t feel able to pick out something special and meaningful. I’ve really tried to pay attention to this particular friend so I can communicate that I care in her language, but I just can’t seem to do it. HELP!!
(1) Ask, “what could I give you that will express how much I appreciate you?” (2) Pay attention to what she gives to others. Many people give what they want to receive. (3) What does she complain about? (4) Experiment with small gifts. For example, I saw on a magazine about a watermelon-slushy drink and made a comment to my husband that I think that would be a really great summertime refresher. If he makes it for me, it shows that he “paid attention” to give me something I said I wanted. (5) Send her this blog and have it be a point of discussion.
I do like giving meaningful gifts to people, but I’m terrible at wrapping.
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