One of life’s great joys is handing over a gift to someone that you love or for whom you have a great affection and then seeing the joy that your efforts bring to them. And if you don’t instinctively know this and you need some more convincing, take a look at the King James Bible which makes it clear: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35).

But how do you find unique and special gifts for all of the people you need to buy for? It seems that as soon as Christmas buying is out of the way you have a series of birthdays, anniversaries and other special days that demand your creative attention.

Well, there is no “one size fits all” approach, especially as you need to match the gift to the recipient if you want to send a message of love and affection. Sure, that gift card from Barnes and Noble, Home Depot or Macy’s is fine, but you know at heart that these substitutes are really an opt-out for those buyers who don’t have the time or the inclination (or maybe both!) to come up with something more appropriate.

So how can you find the right gifts for those special people in your life? Here are some tips:

• Focus on the person’s hobbies and interests. We’ve all heard about the husband who buys his wife a new iron or vacuum cleaner because he knew that she’d need it – but instead, how about finding something that interests her in the (frequently) limited leisure time that she has? If she really does like spending time cooking, book her a slot on a high-class chef’s training course. If she enjoys collecting ornaments for her home, how about some classy pottery wine goblets to adorn her china cabinet?

• What about the recipient’s personality? If they are outgoing, adventurous types, reserve them a day at a rock climbing or rally driving or sky diving place. If they’re more home-loving and enjoy reading, research their tastes and buy them a book that challenges at least a little their normal reading limits and prejudices (for example, have they read Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell and could they see any of what he wrote about actually coming to pass today?).

• What about their favorite family members? Do they have a treasured grandson or granddaughter or a much loved companion who they haven;t seen much of lately? Make up a scrapbook containing pictures and information about the person in question. Or buy a silver heart locket and insert a photo of their loved one inside it, so they can remind themselves regularly about the one they’re close to emotionally.

All of these have one common theme: know the recipient’s likes and dislikes (not always easy!) and tailor your plans accordingly. Of course this is easy to say and less easy to accomplish – it does take some effort and few of us have the time to apply this effort for every gift that we buy.  But rest assured, there are always some special gifts you can zero in on with just a little creativity, so focus your effort on those nearest and dearest to you and enjoy the extra pleasure you bring.