The psychology of gifting – What makes a thoughtful gift?

Ah, Christmas. You know it's hit you when suddenly, the radio is blasting Holiday Jingles, and Orchard Road's been suddenly lit up overnight. A time of Gingerbread cookies, candy canes and yes, presents!

Gifting is an opportunity to let a person know how much you appreciate them. This is why painstaking lists are made, online sites are scoured, and malls are packed with people hunting for that perfect present that says: "this is from me, to you."

The Body Shop's Christmas Collection for instance, has a wide range of products from skincare, fragrances and body care, with limited-edition Christmas scents. Their end-of-year gift sets have become a core staple and are much anticipated every year for their exciting range of products, as well as for the yearly cause their products support. Together with International Alert, every gift you buy from their seasonal gift collections will help fund the Peace Play Project* in Lebanon for a year, providing play and activities in a safe place for Syrian refugee children.

And in line with their charity, this year's festive theme is "Play For Peace" , which is, hands down, their most fun collection yet! With dice games, quizzes and spinners incorporated into their packaging, you can upcycle their wrapping into festive activities for all the family to enjoy! What's not to love?

With The Body Shop's comprehensive range of gift-sets (available both in-store and online), you're bound to find something for every personality. To help ease your quest, here are some of our top picks!

FOR THE MOTHER-IN-LAW

For the mum-in-law who's a whizz in the kitchen, and the next Masterchef contender, I would recommend the Strawberry Hand Duet set (which is also available in scents of Shea and Strawberry).

This set is great for Mums in the kitchen, as they are in constant contact with harsh kitchen scrubs and cleaners, which can make hands rough and dry.

However, for a mum that loves spas and facials, The Oils of Life Skincare collection is a great kit for recreating the spa experience at home! The collection includes a revitalising facial oil and cream, which helps to nourish and moisturise skin, and enhance radiance. Perfect for the festive season, this set is great to help Mums prep their skin for dinner dates with Dad.

FOR THE GIRLFRIEND

For the fashionista girlfriend, the At-Home Facial Mask Experience is a wow-factor gift that shows your loved one that you appreciate what she does to keep her skin looking great. This set includes five much-loved, naturally inspired masks in handy 75ml travel sizes so it's perfect to take on a staycation with you, or with her girlfriends as there is a mask for any skintype - from a British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask to a Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask.

For your sporty other half, this Tea Tree Rescue Kit will be a boon for their sporty adventures. This comprehensive set includes a 3-in-1 wash, scrub, mask and daily solution that are great for refreshing skin and detoxing impurities and excess sebum. The 3-in-1 wash is great to use after removing makeup, and the scrub and masks help to cleanse your skin after a day out against the elements!

This kit will also make a great gift for teenagers as Tea Tree Oil helps against acne and breakouts!

FOR THE BOYFRIEND

Boys need to take care of their skin too, and especially so if they're into extreme or sweaty sports. This White Musk Sport Gift set for $42 has all the essentials for staying fresh after a gym session. This handy set includes a Hair & Body Wash, Deodorant, and Gym Towel, so he'll never have an excuse to come to you all sweaty and gross ever again!

For the discerning boyfriend that likes to look like he rolled out of a magazine cover, consider getting him the King's and Gentlemen's Maca Root Grooming Kit. With a Balancing Protector Cream, Eye Serum and Facial Wash, his skin will be looking even more radiant than Snow White's.

FOR THE BOSS

A pampering Almond Milk & Honey Festive set includes a "Free The Rabbit" maze game, and would make a wonderful gift for a boss that spends a lot of the time in air-conditioned offices, as moisturizing milk and honey works to combat against dry skin.

This gentle formula is also approved for sensitive skin, so it's a safe present to give to someone whose skin condition you may not know about.

This British Rose Expert Manicure set makes a perfect #LadyBoss present, as the hand cream is handy to keep in office, and the travel sized nail clipper and buffer can be placed inside a drawer for any mani-mergencies!

FOR COLLEAGUES

For a colleague that you're closer to in the office, consider getting them this Dial-a-flavour Body Butter Trio to let your office buddy sample all of The Body Shop's festive scents, or a Seasonal Festive Tin full of mini-sized seasonal favourites. 

The Festive Tin is packed as a Christmas bauble, so you can save on the wrapping and give them something that's set to impress!

For a new colleague, or one that you want to get to know more, the Duck N Dive makes for a fun present that's bound to get a laugh from them. Inside of the set are three mini sized shower gels, and a cute bath duck! This gift set packaging later becomes a game to play for all!

Another fun set to give away is the House of Holland Limited Edition Truth or Dare. The cube is full of The Body Shop's best-selling shower gels, and after all the goodies are used up, you can shake the lid inside to play a game of truth or dare! After all, there's nothing like a little dare to create some fun memories and build bonds.

SECRET SANTA

For office parties and Secret Santa gift lotteries, it can be harder to predict the present you intend to give, as you may not know who is the receiver. Therefore, the key to making a good secret santa present lies in giving a generic gift or novelty item that is playful for any gender or age. This is why The Body Shop's Little Luxuries gift selection is perfect! Created for stocking fillers, each gift is under $15, and can be hung on trees, or stuffed in stockings.

But with such an extensive range of products, the choices can be dizzying, so if you still need more guidance,

The Body Shop has come up with a definitive flow chart to help you with your decision making! After all, no two personalities are the same.