The secrets to gift giving – top tips from Cathrine Jansson-Boyd 

5th December 2025

Cathrine Jansson-Boyd on the Psychology behind panic buying and the reasons we do it

We all know that gift giving and putting up festive fairy lights are part of what makes Christmas so magical. So much so, that last Christmas alone, 443 million FastTech items flooded the country for the festive season alone, but 168m light-up FastTech and FastTech gifts ended up in the bin. While Christmas is the time for gifts, there are several easy things you can do to avoid the presents you give others ending up in landfill – these are summarised within these top ten responsible gifting tips below.

1. Leave yourself plenty of time.  If you want to give a meaningful gift to someone, don’t leave the shopping to the last minute! Leaving enough time means you can avoid making impulse purchases, When under pressure, you are more likely to be seduced by cute little things that lack functionality, as well as big discounts. Having enough time also means you can consider the recipient’s interests. Gifting something that reflects who they are shows empathy and care, making for a positive experience for both the giver and receiver.
2. Don’t worry about the size of the gift! Forget about trying to fit your presents into stockings. Something bigger can always be left on the side if needed – what’s important is that the present will be appreciated.
3. Consider personal preferences. Some items are better to avoid gifting, such as electronic goods, as people often have preferences for ‘specific’ models, which may be tricky to get right. It might also be tempting to purchase fun tech items that light up, but statistics suggest that 43% of all those bought are not used.
4. Try to ensure long-term enjoyment. People tend to prefer to receive items they will use repeatedly, which means gifting practical items in everyday life can be a good idea. When purchasing these, it’s best to consider the durability over time – for example, gifting a good torch that can be used for the next 10 years rather than a miniature one, just because it is cute. The smaller, less practical torch would be more likely to be quickly disposed of.
5. Don’t go rogue. If the person you are buying for has asked for something specific or even given you a list, then buy that. Research has found that recipients are more appreciative of gifts they have asked for than those they did not ask for.
6. Keep it simple. Ensure that what you are giving is easy to use. Most people show a preference for gifts they can use with ease. Avoid items that come with long manuals or a gadget that requires unusually sized batteries that most people are unlikely to have spares of at home.
7. Give an experience. Giving someone an experience like hosting a friend for dinner or an exercise class can make the recipient feel closer to the person who gave it.
8. Consider Charity donations. If you are unsure about what to buy, think about giving something to charity on behalf of a friend or loved one, as they are more likely to appreciate it than some random gift they did not really want.
9. Think ahead about how items will be disposed of. Christmas is not just the time of giving but also a time when people create a lot of waste. Not just from presents but also from food, tatty tinsel, or broken Christmas lights and alike. Therefore, it is key to think about the best way to dispose of them, as there are teams of heroes across the waste stream working tirelessly to raise mass awareness of how we can all recycle and dispose of batteries safely.
10. Use the Recycle Your Electricals Postcode Locator. If you get some cool new tech, make sure that you know how to dispose of the old ones, so you don’t just leave them lying in a drawer. Getting rid of clutter will give you a great new year feel. Remember that anything with a plug, cable or battery can be reused or recycled, and you can use the Recycle Your Electricals postcode locator to find the nearest point to you. This is super easy to do as there are over 30,000 drop-off points in the UK.