How to Find the Perfect Gift, Based on Their Love Style

As the famous song goes, the holidays are meant to be the most wonderful time of the year. But they can also be the most stressful. 

With your partner, family, in-laws, nieces, nephews and office Secret Santa on your gift list, the pressure to find the perfect presents is overwhelming – and you have no idea where to start. 

What you do know is you want your gifts to be meaningful – something your loved ones will genuinely like. And, let's be honest, you'd like to avoid the last-minute Christmas Eve shopping frenzy you endured last year.

Well, the good news is you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, you’ll learn how to buy thoughtful gifts based on your recipient’s love style. 

What’s a love style? 

A love style refers to the way a person likes to give and receive love. There are seven in total, which Truity identified through extensive research last year. 

While love styles are often associated with romantic relationships, they also extend to friendships and family dynamics, making them a great tool to use for buying the perfect holiday gifts for the important people in your life. 

Here’s a look at each of the seven love styles. You’ll probably find that you relate to two or more, but one will stand out as most relatable.  

• Activity: People who relate to this love style feel appreciated when you spend quality time with them, take an interest in their hobbies, and create shared memorable moments. 
• Appreciation: People with this love style feel most loved when you express affection through words of affirmation: celebrating their accomplishments, appreciating them for who they are, and saying how much you care.
• Emotional: For individuals with the emotional love style, connection comes when you offer unwavering support, especially during tough times.
• Financial: People who resonate with this love style feel loved when you invest in gifts and experiences that either help them out or bring them joy. 
• Intellectual: Individuals with the intellectual love style live for deep conversation. They feel valued when you actively listen to their ideas, engage in meaningful discussion, and place genuine value on their intellect.
• Physical: For individuals with this love style, physical intimacy is vital to connection. Not just about sexual intimacy, the physical love style encompasses tender shows of affection like hand holding and cuddling. 
• Practical: People who lean towards the practical love style feel loved by your everyday efforts to go above and beyond with practical acts of service like household chores and duties.

The perfect gift for each love style 

Now that you have an idea of each love style, here’s an overview of what gifts to choose for each one. If you’re not sure of the people in your life’s love styles, then our free test can help. 

Activity: Make a memory 

People with the activity love style want to make fond memories with you. Instead of a physical gift, they’ll appreciate an experience you can both enjoy. Whether that’s taking them out for dinner, going to a pottery class, or tickets to a gig, they’ll love a gift that involves you two spending quality time together. 

Of course, buying activity gifts can be pretty expensive, so don’t be afraid to go for a DIY option if you need to. Thoughtful ideas like planning a day filled with laughter or providing art supplies for an evening of creativity at home, shared between you two, will all be highly appreciated. 

Appreciation: Choose gifts with personalized messages

Demonstrating your affection through words is crucial to making people with this love style feel valued. So, don’t skimp on giving them a holiday card that tells them just how much you appreciate them! Your words mean a lot. 

To go with your card, you could make a handmade gift like a jar full of loving messages written on paper. If you’re not a dab hand at making your own gifts, another idea is to buy a personalized bracelet, necklace or photo book, where you add your own words of appreciation. 

Emotional: Opt for sentimental gifts

For individuals with the emotional love style, feeling loved comes when you stick by them through tough times. So, opt for thoughtful, sentimental gifts that show you’ll always be there. 

Small keepsakes with affirming sayings, like a ceramic decoration or friendship bracelet, are sure to be treasured, as are relaxation gifts like aromatherapy sets, mindfulness cards or ‘hug in a box’ packages. 

Financial: Choose a gifts that keep giving

You’d think the financial love style would be easy to buy for. After all, they love gifts! But to nail your holiday present for this person, you’ll want to make sure your gift is poignant and unique. To feel loved, they’ll need to feel like you’ve given it some thought. 

Is there something they’ve mentioned recently that you could get them? Maybe they’ve commented on a piece of jewelry or tech equipment? If you’re not sure, one great idea is to buy a gift that keeps giving. We’re talking about subscription boxes. You can get them for almost everything: magazines, skincare, coffee, beer – the possibilities are endless. 

Intellectual: Books, challenges and brain-twisters

Great conversation is the cornerstone of this love language, so a gift that sparks their intellectual curiosity is a great way to go. You could buy them a brain-twisting party game that you play together, or book a date for you to both attend a museum. 

Because people with this love style love learning, they’ll also appreciate gifts like non-fiction books delving into subjects like philosophy, history, or science, as well as subscriptions to educational apps.

Physical: Look for sensory gifts

Individuals with the physical love style are very in touch with their five senses – something you can harness to create a special, meaningful gift by choosing an item that speaks to each sense. For example, you could get their favorite candle for smell, a photo of you two for sight, their favorite chocolate for taste and so on. 

Because they prize physical affection, gifts like a couples' massage or a touch bracelet will undoubtedly be cherished – especially if they’re in a different location.

Practical: Make their lives easier 

For people with this love style, actions speak louder than words. They’ll really appreciate gifts that make their daily lives easier. Thoughtful, useful presents like coffee gift cards, meal box subscriptions or a new kitchen gadget will be greatly received. 

If you'd like to take a more imaginative approach, you could even craft a personalized "coupon book" with tasks like "breakfast in bed" or "car wash duty," which your recipient can cash-in throughout the year.