What makes a good gift?

Dan Ariely, brilliant author of Predictably Irrational says that a really great gift is a lot more about assuaging guilt than it is about finding something truly unique.

I have recently been asking people around me what they think makes a good gift. And I don’t mean specific items like sunglasses or one of my books (which are all excellent gifts); I was looking to find some of the basic principles and characteristics of good gifts. One of the best answers I’ve gotten so far is this: “A good gift is something that someone really wants, but feels guilty buying it for themselves.” What is interesting about this answer is that the ideal gift from this perspective is not about getting the person something that they can’t afford, or something that they have no idea that they want – it is all about alleviating guilt connected with the purchase of a highly desirable (yet guilt invoking) item….

Read An Irrational Guide to Gifts (Via Dan Ariely) (Images)

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