Creative Gifts: 6 Advantages and 1 Drawback

What are creative gifts? Can anybody make them? What are their advantages? Do they have any drawbacks? Why is it worth doing them? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions.

In my first post I decided to explain what I understand by the notion of creative presents. Let’s have a look at the word creative. What does it exactly mean? To me it means making something from nothing, or at least ensuring a new quality. “Creative gifts” are usually associated with products that may be original, imaginative or even funny, but will not allow you to make things from the scratch. Even though sometimes I wouldn’t mind receiving one of these or am tempted to order them, on this blog I decided to focus on a different type of presents. Here is a list of their most distinctive features:

1. Creative gifts are affordable

Since I make something out of nothing, I don’t need a fortune to begin with. My materials include photos, pen and paper, computer programs and everyday objects. My tools encompass my imagination, my talent and my creativity. That is why a majority of the gifts I present on this blog can be afforded by children, who have only their pocket money to spare, students, who need to count every penny, as well as seniors relying on their children or the welfare system.

Example: a dictionary

2. Creative gifts are enjoyable

The making of a creative gift is usually funny and gives a lot of satisfaction. Firstly, it stimulates creativity. Secondly, it often involves browsing through souvenirs from the past and resorting to one’s happy memories. Thirdly, you create something from nothing, which does give a lot of satisfaction.

Example: a birthday magazine

3.Creative gifts are inspiring

The preparation of most gifts presented on this blog does not require any special skills. I, myself, have scarcely any manual skills, can’t sew, can’t cook well and don’t have a clue about programming. Yet if I ever get an idea for a gift that involves any of these skills, I will not hesitate and try it. That is how my adventure with simple cakes began.

Example: a cheescake for all occassions

4. Creative gifts engage others

This is not a necessary requirement, but I frequently ask others for help when I prepare a treasure hunt, a gift for the eighteenth birthday, a hen party, a wedding or an anniversary. One reason is that it is more fun to do things together and, at least theoretically, there should be less work to carry out by each person. Secondly, the more people involved, the greater chance of coming up with good ideas there is. And finally, I can tell from my own experience how terrific it feels to know that so many people did something unusual especially for you.

Example: a treasure hunt

5. Creative gifts are unique

Finding a perfect present is a challenging task. If you buy something practical, the recipient may already have it or not need it at all. If you choose something fashionable, you run the risk of others picking the same item. My creative presents will let you avoid this risk. Even if somebody else came up with exactly the same idea, the making and the outcome would be so different that your gift would still stand out as one-of-a-kind.

Example: a music video

6. Creative gifts make the recipient feel special

Due to the fact that I don’t carry out a mass production of gifts, but prepare each and every one of them for a specific person and a specific occasion, they are highly personalised. Owing to that my friends and family have no doubts that a gift has been prepared especially for them and that I dedicated my time and energy to them. And since time seems to be in short supply nowadays, I think there is no better way to show someone your affection.

Example: a songbook

That’s how we arrive at the only negative characteristic of creative gifts:

7. Creative gifts are time-consuming

Unfortunately, it takes a considerable amount of time to prepare most of the gifts I present here. Not many can be finished in the time it takes to go to a shop and buy something ready-made. Those that can be prepared in less than an hour are usually minor modifications of objects or alterations of activities that normally require only a few minutes. Others took me days or even months to organise. Nevertheless, I want to assure you that it was an enjoyable and very usefully spent time, and I don’t regret any minute. As regards the recipients, in turn, they often realise how much work these presents involve and because of that appreciate them even more.

I wonder which of these qualities are the most important to you. Which of them convince you to make creative gifts? Can you think of any other vital characteristics that I have overlooked? Let me know in the comments below!