We might have only just made it through the Thanksgiving weekend, but Christmas is still slowly creeping upon us. It’s officially less than a month away, which is exciting and terrifying in equal measure. Sure, we’ve got a ton of festivities to look forward to, but you’ve got to get the all-important Christmas shopping out of the way first. Unless you’re hyper-organized (or took advantage of the Black Friday deals), you’ve probably got a fair bit of buying still to go. But how are you going to come up with gift ideas in the first place? If your family is anything like mine, they won’t have given you many ideas. Figuring out what your loved ones actually want for Christmas (and won’t just pretend to like out of politeness) can be a difficult affair.
However, we’ve got a suggestion that might just make your December shopping a lot simpler. Have you ever considered that the Zodiac might have a part to play in your gift-buying bonanza? It might sound crazy at first, but each sign has traits that gear them towards enjoying certain types of gift. If you want to cheat the system and find the perfect presents for your loved ones based on their sign, read on…
Aries
If your loved one is an Aries, chances are you’ve already realized that they’re incredibly competitive people. Like, it’s impossible to win against them in any situation. Thus receiving any gift that gives them the chance to beat you in some kind of competition works pretty perfectly. Board games like Settlers of Catan or video games are an excellent shout (just as long as you don’t mind seeing your Aries friend getting oddly invested in the game way too quickly). Aries folk can be a bit self-absorbed at times, and most probably won’t spend too long worrying about what to get you in return, so don’t stress out too much.
Taurus
Taurus individuals are all about practicality. They love working with their hands and are most likely to enjoy gifts that actually come in handy once in a while. Kitchen-related presents are often a good bet, as is gardening gear or even art supplies. Basically, help them to get out and about and use up all of that creative energy they’ve got!
Gemini
If you’re buying gifts for a Gemini, it’s a good idea to keep their quiet, gentle nature in mind. They tend to be inquisitive thinkers and keen learners, so books may well be the best option here. Buy them a novel to get lost in, or an adult coloring book to help them express their creative side. Alternatively, trivia games might be an option (but only if you’re willing to lose every single time).
Cancer
Cancer is one of the three water signs, so why not go aquatic-themed with your gifting this year? I’m pretty sure anyone would be glad to get, say, a hot tub for Christmas, regardless of their sign! If that’s not quite within your budget, you can appeal to a Cancer’s arts-and-crafts side instead. They love expressing their creativity in inventive ways, so art supplies of any kind will go down a treat — particularly scrapbooking supplies as Cancers tend to be very sentimental. If all else fails, buy them all of the food. Cancers really, really love their food. If you’re lucky, they might share some of it with you…
Leo
You’d better get prepared to shower the Leo in your life with a ton of well-thought out gifts. They love to be treated like a king or queen and can get quite disappointed if people don’t bear that in mind when shopping for them. When it comes to Leos, you can’t go wrong in getting them tickets to something live. Why not get them tickets to that show they’ve always wanted to see? Or maybe two tix to the concert of their fav underground band? Again, choose your gifts wisely. If they’ve mentioned wanting/needing ANYTHING in the past few weeks, write it down and be sure that’s what you go for.
Virgo
Virgos are a methodical bunch of people. They love it when their lives are totally organized and can get a bit anxious if that’s not the case. Get them a bullet journal — it’s the ‘in’ thing in the stationery-loving world. It gives them total creative control over their excessive planning, and these journals are just so darn satisfying for organization freaks. That or a classic 2018 planner will do the trick, too.
Libra
Libras are a kind, generous bunch of people. They love to share their things with others, including any Christmas gifts they receive. The cynical among you might want to take advantage of this, and maybe get them some kind of foodstuff that you like… Just kidding! That’s definitely not in the spirit of Christmas. A slightly less morally dubious option would be playing to your Libra’s love of the outdoors. Book them a weekend away hiking so they can become ~at one with nature~, or get them a trip somewhere hot and sunny if they’d prefer to get themselves a tan. You could also get them a fun group game like What Do You Meme? or The Game of Things. The more people that can get involved, the better!
Scorpio
Rule number one when dealing with a Scorpio: they are always right. There are no exceptions to this rule, even when it might outwardly seem that they are totally, catastrophically wrong about something. Play on this sense of correctness, and their intense love of knowing everything, by grabbing your Scorpio a trivia book — or a book of any kind, really. If you prefer to take risks in your gifting, getting them something on the saucier side might appeal to their passionate personality. If you do take this route, however, just make sure they don’t open said inappropriate item in front of their parents.
Sagittarius
If you could bottle up all of the wanderlust in the world and shove it into one person, that person would be a Sagittarius. They’re never content to be stuck at home – there’s just too many places in the world for them to explore! Any kind of travel-themed item would be a perfect gift for them, whether it’s funky luggage, a travel journal, or a neat little passport holder. Photography-themed gifts are a good try too — who doesn’t want to record every step of their journey in snaps you can keep forever? Encourage your Sagittarius to explore the world and run free. Who knows, they might even let you come with them on their travels!
Capricorn
Capricorn is elementally a sign of the earth. This link to nature means they appreciate a bit of good craftsmanship; hand-crafted gifts are a must for these lovers of all things rustic. That means it’s time to peruse Etsy. Personalized jewelry and homewares are two gift genres that spring immediately to mind for the Capricorn. You don’t need to worry too much about pleasing this sign during Christmas, though. Since they usually expect the worst in every situation, pretty much anything you get them will be appreciated. They probably thought you’d forget, or just get them some 99-cent noodles from the grocery store. You’re going to be fine.
Aquarius
If one of your loved ones is an Aquarius, you’ve hit the jackpot. They’re well-known to be a kindhearted sign who are passionate about charitable causes and helping others. They’re also likely to see gifts as unnecessary and would want to encourage you to do more worthwhile things with your hard-earned dollars. If you do still want to get them something (let’s face it, you probably should), why not make a donation in their name to an organization they support? You’re still spending money in their name, but it’ll satisfy their passion for social justice. If you’d rather buy them something tangible, Aquarians are pretty eccentric — kitschy or unusual gifts will attract their interest.
Pisces
Pisces is a sign famous for musicality. Gifts relating to creating or listening to music are a good idea for this group – as long as you figure out their tastes a bit beforehand! There’s no point buying them an essential country collection if all they listen to is death metal. Alternatively, you could cater your gifts towards the hopeless romantic side of a Pisces’ personality. Trashy romantic-comedies are always a worthwhile gift, as are slightly questionable but really addictive bad romance novels. You could also go crazy at Lush with bath bombs and self-care supplies. It’s a good idea for many of the signs, but the emotional Pisces will see this as a particularly thoughtful gift.