Q: Are
personalized gifts generally considered to be more thoughtful gifts?
A: If by
“personalized” you mean gifts carefully chosen for a specific
recipient, absolutely. If you mean giving each person on your gift
list the same gift “personalized” with his or her name in block
letters, then not necessarily.
Q: What should
people consider when giving personalized gifts?
A: Again, this
depends on your definition of “personalized”. Gifts personalized to
a specific recipient should reflect his or her preferences,
interests, passions, needs, lifestyle, etc. When giving gifts
personalized in the monogrammed sense, one needs to consider several
factors. 1) Such gifts cannot be returned, so the giver needs to be
certain it’s something the recipient really wants and does not
already have. Exceptions are made for gifts that commemorate a
special event or occasion (i.e., engraved cufflinks given to a
groomsman), since the sole purpose of the gift is to remind the
recipient of the occasion. 2) If the item is size specific (a jacket
with a club insignia, for instance), it might be well to give the
item without the insignia, but tell the recipient you’ve arranged
and paid for the insignia to be added after you’re sure the jacket
fits. 3) If you are going to have an item personalized, be certain
the name or initials are correct. I once gave a book monogrammed,
“John” to a friend I later learned spelled his name Jon. 4) In my
opinion, the more an item will be seen by others, the less
ostentatious the monogram should be. For example, initials on a
custom-made shirt should be positioned on a sleeve rather than on
the shirt front or pocket, while initials on pajamas can be as
blatant as desired.
Q: What are some of your favorite personalized gifts? Are there
personalized gifts that should never be given—monogrammed
stationery, for example?
A: Personally,
I would love to receive monogrammed stationery. But I’m talking the
high-quality embossed-linen variety, not the cutesy stuff with my
name printed over smiley faces or bunnies. In general, I’m very
traditional in my tastes. Fine linens, sterling silver,
handkerchiefs, some jewelry and small personal items (watches, money
clips, key rings, fine pens, and the like) lend themselves to
tasteful engraving and monogramming. Fluffy bath towels (unless you
run a hotel), home furnishings (perhaps with the exception of
nursery furniture), toys (do we really want kids repeating “mine”
anymore than they already do), desk accessories (unless logos or
names are very inconspicuous), etc., generally do not.
Names or
initials on briefcases, luggage, gym bags, golf bags, etc., help in
identifying one’s property in public settings. By the same token,
personalized mugs for use at the office are a good idea. A yacht
owner might very much appreciate a set of mugs emblazoned with the
name of his or her boat. But a homeowner’s name on an entire set of
mugs for home use (or use by houseguests) might come across as a
little narcissistic. As might a room full of name-emblazoned
trinkets and accessories. For that reason, many people might be
reluctant to use and display gifts “personalized” with their names
or initials.
For nearly every
rule or generality there is, of course, an exception. Which is one
of the things that makes gift giving tricky in the first place. Each
decision to engrave, etch, monogram, or otherwise personalize a gift
should be considered on its own merits.
On a final note,
for reasons of personal safety, one should never put the name of a
child on his or her clothing, backpack, toys, bike, or anything else
in a way it can be seen by strangers.
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