Welcome to Wife Gift Ideas Part II in which we demystify gift-giving at Christmas. But before we get to that, how did you get on with Part I? Did you do your homework and ask some of those questions? If not then get to it, you’re going to need the answers for your Christmas shopping.

It seems to be there are unwritten rules associated with occasions like Birthdays, Valentines and Christmas well here’s my top rule for Christmas: LuxFactor

Of course, you must work on your Thoughtfulness Score, but gifts at this time of year tend to stick to one of the main Christmas Categories, but we’ll get to that later.

Lux Factor is the luxury rating that you can apply to any product. Like with cars: a BMW Series 1 can cost less than a Renault Espace but the BMW has the LuxFactor.

We’re looking for gifts that ooze luxury. Important note: this doesn’t always mean expensive, just the best-of-breed or the most decadent in its class e.g. chocolate- choose a luxury (organic) brand with a high percentage of cocoa solids, for a scarf we want cashmere or silk.

High LuxFactor items are generally those that she would never normally buy for herself, as they’re too luxe for every day.

Plus for high LuxFactor you need suitable wrapping materials, you can cheapen a wonderful LuxFactor by using rubbishy wrapping paper but on the other hand score loads more points with an lower LuxFactor gift by dressing it up with some quality finishing materials.

Christmas gifts fall into a few well-defined categories:

• Personal Grooming (stuff for face, body, hair, nails)
• Hobbies & Interests (sports, books, cooking, gadgets, photography)
• Clothing & Accessories (underwear, outerwear, shoes, accessories, jewellery)
• Food & Drink (Chocolate, Booze, gourmet)
• Christmassy Things (Candles, diaries, pens)

This is fantastic news as it means you don’t have to wrack your brain thinking about the wackiest/most unexpected present, instead you can zero-in on the areas you know your partner likes (thanks to those questions in Part I) and just make sure your get the LuxFactor right.

Note on recommendations. All the things I recommend are from brands I know and love or brands that my mother, sisters or female friends know and love! I’m including some links to make life easier but above all because I, hand on heart, believe that these products are fantastic and will make well received gifts. My aim is to help you pick out the gems that will hit the mark.

Good luck and don’t leave it until the last minute!

Although if you do, Amazon vouchers must surely be the best way to instantly save face: redeemable against millions of products and you can even print your own certificate to give her.

Lingerie as a Gift Can Be a Huge Win Win!

Lingerie as a present can make for a wonderful, intimate experience for both the gift-giver and receiver but, it can also be a nightmare- a huge, embarrassing, frustrating nightmare which results in a present that fails to hit the mark.
Here are the 4 big mistakes that lingerie novices make over and over again.

Gift Lingerie Mistake 1. Not Knowing the Sizing

Lingerie sizing is really not that complicated however when lingerie novices go shopping they often forget about the single most important detail– the vital statistics of their wife! No wonder they look so bewildered…
Make sure you do your research and get the right sizing. You need  3 basic bits of information:

• bra size: number plus letter (note that this is normally in inches, but some shops are now switching to metric)
• dress size (a number, in the UK starts at 6, 8, 10 and so on),
• general size (XS (eXtra Small), S (Small), M (Medium) and so on).

It is wise to get all three, as knickers, camisoles and corsets can be sized as either the dress size or the general size. Note that if the shop is using some other sizing then method then just ask for help in converting the sizing data you have into the store equivalent.
When you’re looking for sizing labels, check the sets of underwear she wears most often- it’s no good checking lingerie she never wears because she may well be avoiding it because it no longer fits.
You should also check several items to be sure to get the correct size, sometimes women can have different sized items, if you’re not sure then pick the ones she wears most often.

Gift Lingerie Mistake 2. Not Knowing Where to Shop

Lingerie novices can have a terrible time shopping what with all the hassles of a normal shopping trip combined with the extra stresses of being way outside their comfort zone. They get so hassled by the suspicious stares of the female shoppers around them that they grab the first thing that catches their eye and make a beeline for the checkout. Don’t be this guy- go shopping online first and take your time!
From the comfort of your desk you can peruse many different styles, colours and moods of lingerie. Some online places are better than other, but most have great search facilities that let you plug in the sizing you’re looking for, the price range and then you go from there- they can show you matching items from the same range and they may even gift wrap it for you. Which brings me on to my next point…

Gift Lingerie Mistake 3. Forgetting About the Presentation

The whole thing with lingerie, at least as I understand it, is that it’s a luxury item and a sexy present. Well in that case the presentation must match the contents. Don’t be like the novice and just use the plastic bag the items were purchased in, make an effort with the gift wrapping.

OK, I get it, you’re a man so fiddling with ribbons and tape isn’t your thing. So then get someone else to do it for you, like the shop you bought it from or use a luxury style gift box which is incredibly simple but very effective and will set the right tone for your gift.

Gift Lingerie Mistake 4. Not Paying Attention to the Refund PolicyEven after all your best detective efforts, the lingerie you chose may well just not fit or suit. In this case be well prepared and keep the receipt, or ask for a gift receipt when purchasing so that she can change it herself. Check the returns policy of the store and don’t rip off tags that need to be left in place in case of exchange.