Guardian Life & Style (US) • Jan. 6, 2026, 11:44 a.m.

<p>Choosing the right gift can feel difficult, but it is possible to buy something meaningful that will please your loved ones – and stay out of the trash</p><p>My family members are incredible gift-givers. Every birthday and holiday, they manage to select exactly what the recipient wanted – or didn’t know they wanted.</p><p>I didn’t inherit this gene.</p><p>What do people talk about when they’re not trying to impress you?

What are their genuine interests, passions and concerns?</p><p>Notice their lifestyle, Maso says: “How they live, what they value, where they unwind.”</p><p>Choose something that “reflects their world, not yours”. Did I want a Lego orchid?

Yes. Did my father?

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