Let’s face it buying gifts for people can be a challenge, especially if you’re not sure what a person needs or wants. Gift-giving is a way to show your love and appreciation to the people around you. And while you may not know what they need, knowing what a person’s love language is can help you determine what makes them feel loved and give them something that they’ll greatly enjoy.
In Gary Chapman’s The 5 Love Languages, he discusses the five methods of communication that people use to give and feel love. These languages are:
Words of affirmation – This language uses verbal compliments as a means of communicating feelings. If someone’s primary love language is words of affirmation, then they’ll feel most appreciated when you verbally tell them how much you love and appreciate them.
Quality time – This language prizes undivided attention and being together in the moment. If someone’s primary love language is quality time, they’ll feel loved when you spend time with them doing things that they enjoy.
Receiving gifts – For some people, receiving gifts is the way they feel loved. If someone’s primary language is receiving gifts, giving them a gift will communicate your love to them more than just about anything else you could do.
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Acts of service – Actions speak louder than words for people whose primary language is acts of service. If their actions are the way that they show love, then helping them out with things they need help with will communicate your love to them more than anything else.
Physical touch – To someone whose primary language is physical touch, holding hands or a hug can mean the world. If you want to make sure that they feel loved, then physical intimacy and touching will be incredibly important.
The languages themselves aren’t necessarily better than each other; they’re just different. Different people feel loved in different ways, which is why it’s important to know what your significant other’s love language is.
Here are some examples of gifts that would communicate love given according to someone’s primary love language:
Quality Time
If you know that their primary way of feeling loved is to spend quality time with you, then you can plan a date night as a gift. This might be as simple as setting aside an hour or two to watch a movie together or going out for ice cream or coffee. You could also plan to take them somewhere they’ve been wanting to visit together, like the aquarium or a museum.
Words of Affirmation
If you know that your partner’s primary love language is words of affirmation, then you could write them a letter telling them how much you love and appreciate them. You could also tell them verbally how much they mean to you.
Receiving Gifts
If the person you want to buy a gift for is most appreciative of receiving gifts, then you are in a space where knowing their interests and needs is a useful tool. It doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant; it just has to be something that shows that you were considerate and thinking about them when looking for the gift.
Acts of Service
If their primary way of feeling loved is through acts of service, then you could do something for them without being asked, like helping to take care of the kids or cooking dinner.
Physical Touch
If you know their primary way of feeling loved is through physical touch, then you can hold hands with them, give them a hug and kiss when they get home from work or invite them to cuddle on the couch. If it’s a family member, then you can give hugs or supply them with a spa certificate. You can be creative with the idea of touch.
Buying gifts for people shouldn’t have to be complicated, difficult, or stressful. If you know their primary love language and what makes them feel loved, then it’s simple to buy a gift that will communicate your love without having to spend tons of money. Just remember, the best gifts come from the heart!
No matter what their love language is, it’s important to remember that the most important thing is to simply be thoughtful and intentional about how you show them, love. It doesn’t have to be something big or expensive; just something that comes from the heart.