The power of deliberate gifting

We’ve lost the art of giving.

Not the act—we still exchange gifts on birthdays, holidays, and every Hallmark-approved occasion in between. But the meaning? That’s faded.

Gifts used to be more than just things. They were proof that you saw someone. That you noticed the way they always borrowed your hoodie because they run cold. That they never finish a book but will dog-ear their favorite passages. That they once mentioned—offhand, months ago—that they loved a scent that reminded them of their childhood. Now? Now we don’t even know what to buy each other.

Why Is Gifting So Hard Now? Maybe it’s because we’re distracted. We scroll, we skim, we exist in short-form attention spans. We don’t take the time to observe people in the way that breeds real thoughtfulness.

Maybe we’re self-absorbed. Not in a cruel way, just… conditioned that way. Always moving, always consuming, always busy. We don’t notice the small things about others because we barely slow down enough to notice them about ourselves. Or maybe it’s because everyone already has everything.

How do you give someone something special when they have access to everything they could ever want? You used to stumble across the perfect gift months before an occasion, tucking it away because you just knew. Now, if someone wants something, they buy it. Instant. Done. No waiting. No wondering. No space for magic. So we default to the easy route. Gift cards. Perfume sets. Whatever’s trending. And maybe that’s why gifts don’t hit the way they used to.

The Best Gifts Aren’t Things—They’re Proof

A deliberate gift says: I see you.

● It’s a playlist of songs that remind you of them.
● A framed quote from a conversation you both laughed too hard at.
● A handwritten letter in a world that barely types full sentences anymore.
● A first-edition book of an author they love because you know they geek out over that stuff.

These things aren’t just items. They’re proof. Proof that you listen. That you notice. That you care enough to store little pieces of them in your mind and bring them back when it matters. Gifting isn’t about price tags. It’s about perception. It’s about proving that in a world obsessed with self, you took the time to see them.

We both know our phones never leave our side—so open your notes app and make a gifts page. Write down the little things people mention, the offhand comments, the favorites they don’t even realize they’ve told you. Because the best gifts aren’t rushed; they’re remembered.

So the next time you give a gift, don’t just buy something. Remember something. Find a way to say, I see you. And I always have. Because that’s a gift no one forgets.