The gift notes

Ponderings while searching for pebbles

The gift notes

Ponderings while searching for pebbles

The Note You Didn't Write: Why the Words Matter More Than the Gift

The Note You Didn't Write: Why the Words Matter More Than the Gift

The Impressive Gift Trap: Why the Gift You're Proudest Of Often Misses

The Impressive Gift Trap: Why the Gift You're Proudest Of Often Misses

Better Late Than Never: Why a Late Gift Matters Far Less Than You Think

The panic isn't about the gift being late. It's about what you imagine lateness says about you. And you're wrong about that.

The Paradox of the Perfect Gift: Why More Choice Makes Gifting Harder

The Paradox of the Perfect Gift: Why More Choice Makes Gifting Harder

A man is shopping on his laptop, credit card in hand
The £1.27 Billion Mistake: The Psychology Behind Britain's Unwanted Gifts

Britain spends £1.27 billion a year on gifts nobody wants — and the safest gifts fail most. A behavioural scientist on why we get it wrong, and how to fix it.

3 women friends are siting on the pavement and laughing
Should You Surprise Them, or Just Ask? What Gifting Psychology Really Says

Is surprising someone thoughtful, or is asking smarter? What the psychology of gift-giving really says — and the third option that beats both.