presenting gift speech

What Are The Best Phrases To Say When Giving A Gift? Discover 50 Amazing Phrases For Any Occasions

You have found the perfect gift, beautifully packaged it, and all you have to do is give it to your recipient. But you're lost for words and don't know what to say? Here's you'll find the best phrases to say when giving a gift.

What phrases you can use when giving a gift depends on the occasion and your relationship with the recipient. There are many unique expressions to say, from funny gift-giving phrases on Christmas to more elegant words on weddings. But the most important thing is always to be sincere.

Below I listed 50 of the best-of-the-best heartfelt phrases on different occasions you can say when giving a gift! But first, let's find out the general rules that will help make your gift-giving speech genuinely thoughtful.

5 Basic Rules Of Successful Phrases When Giving A Gift

1. emphasize how much the recipient means to you.

First and foremost, always remember that everything you say should be for the recipient and about the recipient.

It sounds obvious, but, in fact, when giving a gift, people unconsciously shift the focus from the recipient to themselves.

We all fall into this trap from time to time, but not because we want to show the recipient how much time and effort we’ve put into finding the perfect gift. The reason is simple -  all our wishes just slip our mind as soon as we hand a present to our recipient.

So the next time you give a gift and feel stuck trying to find the right words, take a deep breath and just say how much the recipient means to you. Emphasize how you appreciate their love, friendship, care, or support. Such sincere words are like one more gift from you. 

2. Be Sincere In Your Wishes To The Recipient

You don't need to make up something extraordinary if you want your gift-giving experience to be meaningful to your recipient.

It is quite easy to express your love, care, and respect - just tell about your feelings.

I believe that sincerity makes key to a successful and enjoyable giving of gifts.

Indeed, nothing but heartfelt, kind words can melt the recipient's heart and make the gift-giving experience truly remarkable and unforgettable.

And no matter if you’re giving a gift to your better half, a best friend, or a respected colleague, I'm sure your recipient will highly appreciate your sincere words. Hearty wishes will undoubtedly touch your recipient to the core and stir up strong emotions, whether childlike delight or tears of joy.

3. Don’t Apologize For Your Gift

"I couldn't spend very much!", "I'm not sure if you like it," "This gift is so small."

Are these phrases familiar to you?

I'm almost 100% sure that nearly everyone made such excuses at least once in their life when giving a gift.

And such phrases are something you should never say to the recipient. No matter how small or inexpensive your gift is, you don’t need to feel uncomfortable or even guilty of not being able to afford something better.

If you make your present thoughtful, its size and cost don't play any role, so there are no reasons for excuses. Moreover, I don't even doubt that your recipient will appreciate anything you give them. So when giving a gift, be confident and positive!

4. Don't Focus On The Money Aspect Of A Gift

A little below, I will provide you with the best phrases to say when giving a gift, but for now, you just need to remember six words you never should mention to the recipient - "This gift will save you money."

The new study on consumers’ response to gifts found that people negatively react to gifts given to them with the intention of saving money.

Such wording might make the recipient feel offended and perceive your gift as a slight rather than a compliment.

But it doesn't mean you can't give your dear ones gifts intended to help them save some money while they are having financial difficulties. When giving a gift, you just have to highlight other benefits of your present that aren't about money so that no one will feel uncomfortable.

5. Use The Right Tone When Giving A Gift

Last but not least, a correctly chosen tone for gift-giving makes all the difference.

So if you want your gift to be well-received, consider the occasion's level of formality and closeness of your relationship with the recipient.

In informal situations, like giving a gift to your beloved one, family, or good friends, you can use a casual, friendly tone with a touch of humor. And even if you lack words, a warm hug is also a suitable option.

But in more formal situations, like congratulating your boss, colleagues, or just someone you don't know well, such a casual tone might be perceived as inappropriate, if not impolite. In this case, your speech needs to be more conservative and respectful.

I hope these tips on how to make your gift-giving speech successful were helpful. And to find out what exactly phrases you can say when giving a gift, read on! I have a lot of useful and valuable information for you.

50 Remarkable Phrases To Say When Giving A Gift (For Different Occasions)

If you are here, you probably wonder how to find the right words to express your love, care, and respect to your recipient when giving them a gift.

I know, sometimes it can be pretty challenging to choose the best phrase, but no worry, I prepared expressions that will make your gift-giving speech thoughtful and memorable.

Whether it's a birthday, job promotion, or wedding, below you will find the perfect gift-giving phrases on nearly any occasion.

Great Gift-Giving Phrases To Say On Birthday

Hold out your hands and close your eyes! I hope this small gift will make your birthday even more joyful and brighter!

Best wishes! I have something special for you on this special day, and I hope you like it. Enjoy this gift!

I wish you all the best and give you this little present which I'm sure will bring you unutterable joy! Happy Birthday!

On this special day, I want to give you a gift that will come in handy for you. And I hope this useful present will please you with its benefits for years to come!

It's hard to find the right words, so I just want to give you a warm hug and, of course, this amazing present. Enjoy your birthday and my gift!

Heartfelt Gift-Giving Phrases On Anniversary

This gift, of course, can't express all my feelings to you, but I hope it becomes a little reminder of my love. Happy anniversary!

I want to give you this gift as a token of my gratitude for all the happy days together. Happy anniversary, my sweetheart!

Guess what I have for you? - All my love and this cute gift that I'm sure will please you!

I wish you another year of true love and give you this wonderful gift that will hopefully add brightness and joy to your life!

Happy anniversary! Here's a little present for you that I hope will add vivid colors to your memories of today's celebration.

Romantic Gift-Giving Phrases To Impress Your Loved One On Valentine's Day

I could move mountains for you, but I think this gift will express my sincere feelings to you much better. Happy Valentine’s Day, my love!

I'm so happy that you're My Valentine! Take all my love and this thoughtful gift on this beautiful occasion!

On this romantic day, I want to give you a gift that will always remind you of my love. So take care of it, as you take care of my heart!

No words can't express my everlasting love, so I hope that this gift will become to you a delightful reminder of my sincere feelings. Happy Valentine's Day!

I got you something special! And although my gift is quite small, I hope it will always remind you that my love for you is huge. Happy Valentine’s Day, honey!

Elegant Phrases For A Wedding Gift-Giving Speech

May the years ahead be filled with great joy and happiness! And I hope this gift will help you with it! Best wishes!

Heartfelt congratulations to the best couple ever! I hope this gift will be able to express how happy I'm for both of you!

Congratulations on your wedding! Here's a little something to start your happy life together. Enjoy!

My gift can't make this day even more special, but I hope it will bring you lasting joy! Wishing you the best!

I have a little something for you! I hope you will not only like this gift but will use it in your new life together!

Excellent Phrases To Say When Giving A Housewarming Gift

Congrats on the move! I have for you a small present that I'm sure will add brightness and cheerfulness to your new home!

Congratulations on your new place! I hope this nice gift will make your new family nest a bit comfier!

Here's something useful for you! I hope my gift can help make your new home more cozy and comfy!

May your new home be filled with joy and coziness! And this great gift will definitely help you with this!

Your new home is almost perfect! To be completely perfect, it just needs my gift! I'm sure this cute gift will turn your new place into a truly "home, sweet home."

Nice Gift-Giving Phrases On Job Promotion

Congratulations on your job promotion! I hope this gift will help you keep all your career goals in focus!

Congratulations on your well-deserved promotion! Here's a small gift to celebrate your big success! I hope you enjoy it!

Nice work! I'd like to give you this special present that I hope will motivate you on new achievements!

Congrats, you deserved this great promotion! And definitely deserved this exceptional gift on this remarkable occasion!

Your promotion will bring you new challenges and opportunities, and my gift will bring you pure pleasure and joy! Enjoy!

Best Phrases To Say When Giving A Graduation Gift

Congrats on your successful graduation. Here's a little gift to celebrate your outstanding achievement! I hope you enjoy it!

Congratulations on your graduation! I want to give you this gift that will be a wonderful reminder of this important milestone for years to come!

Congratulations on your graduation day! I hope this great gift will perfectly emphasize the importance of this occasion!

Best wishes, grad! I have a useful gift for you that will undoubtedly come in handy at a new stage of your adult life!

Congrats, grad! I got you something great to celebrate your brilliant success! I hope you like my gift!

Touching Phrases To Say When Giving A “Just Because” Gift

I know life has been a little challenging lately, but I thought this small gift would be able to brighten up your day!

For no special occasion, and nothing special to say, but I hope this little something makes you smile today!

You’re in my thoughts today. Here's a small gift just to remind you that you're in my heart forever!

Look what I have for you on this beautiful day! When I saw this, it made me think of you, and I couldn't resist! I hope you like this lovely gift!

I was thinking of you all day and understood that I just want to remind you how special you are. I hope this cute present will make you feel that way.

Funny Gift-Giving Phrases On Christmas

I know you're on Santa's naughty list, but you're on my nice list! So here's a gift for you! Merry Christmas!

Ho-ho-ho! Ok, I'm not a Santa. But I also have a gift for you! I'm sure this present will cause you a childlike delight!

Santa told me in secret that you’d been very good this year! So you deserved this fantastic gift! Enjoy!

Santa came to me today and asked me to give you this gift. I don't know what's inside, but I hope you like it!

I secretly stole in Santa your wish list for this Christmas to make you this wonderful gift. I risked my life for this, so you better say you liked it!

Cute Gift-Giving Phrases On Baby Shower

Warmest wishes to you and your baby! I hope this modest gift will come in handy in your new parenting life!

So happy to share with you this special day! Here's a little something to help you gear up for your baby.

Best wishes to your beautiful family! Are you ready to be ‘shower’ with a few lovely things for a baby?

Welcome to parenthood! Here's a useful gift that hopefully will make your day-to-day a little easier and calmer.

A baby is a gift from heaven above! My gift for you is more down-to-earth, but I think you’re going to like it!

Now that you know all these phrases, I hope you will never again feel stuck when you give a gift. I'm sure, thanks to these great phrases, your present will always be well-received! 

About the Author

Hi! I'm Yasia, founder of giftideaspace.com . I’m passionate about gift-giving, and I’m here to help you choose perfect gifts for your loved ones. I will always provide you with the best possible gift ideas and explain, based on statistics, scientific studies, and my own experience, why one or another gift is the best option to surprise your recipient.

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What To Say When Giving A Gift? [11 Good Phrases]

You do care for others and do gift a lot to your friends, family, and close ones but you are stuck or confused about what to say when giving a gift .

I gotcha ya!

You are in a perfect place. In this, we will be going through some beautiful and relateable phrases and saying that you can probably use when you are giving a gift.

So, without any further ado let’s dive in.

Use these links to jump ahead:

A gift that will surely leave behind beautiful memories

A special present that you were eagerly waiting for, i cannot be with you all the time but this gift will definitely be, this gift will surely give you an amazing experience, i never disappoint anyone and you are special to me, please take this, this will surely bring a smile to your face, not big enough as others but a sweet and small gift, your efforts and performance should be rewarded, please accept this gift, your knowledge and expertise brought us here, a good-matched gift for you, a motivating gift for the most honest & punctual employee, this gift will let you know how important you are to a business, talk about the gift, talk about a special moment/event, talk about the reason, talk about the experience, talk about your own situation, final words, what to say when giving a gift (friendly phrases).

One of the most decent and attachable statements you can say.

And such sayings are perfect when you know the gift is really special and the receiver will surely connect it to past events.

When you know your friends, family, or colleagues very closely and you knew about one specific thing which keeps an important position in their life and presenting it in a beautiful gift manner is truly an adorable and kind gesture.

Once again, do keep an eye on the intentions of every statement, like this one – ‘A special present that you….. ‘

Now, when you notice, you are already creating an excitement level for the receiver and you are connecting to the past talks and events.

By this kind of saying, one thing which the receiver will definitely like is that you knew about him/her deeply on exactly what thing can actually make them happy or what they need currently.

What an amazing and beautiful gift phrase that you can surely and should pass on.

A sweet way to make the receiver realize how much you care for him/her and you know that your slight even presence will definitely puts a positive impact on their life.

Remember, by saying such a statement you need to be well aware that what you are gifting to others.

Gifts like a wristwatch and or a necklace all these wearable items do tend to be with a person for long hours in the day.

Be thoughtful in selecting a gift and then do surely pass this good gift saying.

Related article:

45 Phrases Ideas To Say When You Like a Gift

Now, you can definitely talk about the gift a bit while giving but in one or two feature words like we used in this statement- ‘Experience’.

We all know and we can surely agree on to this gift can be anything but giving a gift which brings upon an additional value and impact onto’s other life is always a good fit option.

Telling something like – ‘It will give you an experience’ you are on a straight point indicating that will give the receiver some good moments to remember in his or her life period.

Now, experience gifts can be anything like giving tickets for skydiving, go-karting, and other stuff.

All such activities will leave behind a joyful memory.

This short sentence exactly tells the receiver that you know about their expectations.

Also, you are stating that you are very much well aware of which things the receiver does require on the priority list and this will definitely make their day.

The next thing you probably consider is what to say when giving a gift to someone.

Do have a small attention over this sentence and just have a look at how small phrases can be said that play a positive role.

Now, this phrase is surely talking about time and overall care that you have for a person.

When you are starting such statements like -‘It will bring a smile on your face.

Make sure that your gift will do the job.

One short tip over here, gifting should always be done what others would like and not what we like to give.

When you think that you are in an awkward situation or in a situation where you don’t know how to react where the party or event is big (on a large scale).

Where all other guests are already coming up with a box wrapped in a huge size.

And you are shy to present your gift to your friend,

Do remember, there are no such things of size whether it should look big or small.

Anything which is given by heart will surely make a place in the receiver’s life.

But anyhow, if you still feel the same, you can definitely pass on this sentence.

What To Say When Giving A Gift (For Corporate Boss & Colleagues)

In this informal gift phrase, you are trying to appreciate your employee’s hard work and all the efforts they have been putting into the organization’s success. For optimal growth, it is as important to reward your employees and appreciate their performance.

Employee gifts and appraisals will be a good idea to match this situation.

Giving a gift by recognizing someone’s efforts and complete dedication toward work is the perfect way to present gifts to corporate employees.

If you notice well, in this statement we do try to acknowledge employees’ overall ability and their skill sets.

Employees’ knowledge, skills, and expertise can bring new heights in organizational success.

In almost every organization, employees primarily need recognization and praise for their good performance.

Presenting gifts with such praising and recognizing phrases is one more good fit criterion.

Attributing employees with their personal corporate characteristics in front of the whole team is the best gesture you can probably consider.

In this, we are mentioning – ‘A motivating gift….’

Do make sure that the gift has some element that will drive motivation onto’s employee side.

Sometimes a gift will not make a big impact but what you are saying while giving a gift will definitely be remembered by the employees.

What a solid way to catch and probably win your employee’s heart.

Find the exact match gift for this sentence to use which will surely make your employee have that deep realization that they are vital and key players in the organization.

Businesses do evolve around their internal employees and timely events where you can recognize, and appraise them with such beautiful gifts and phrases is really important for any organization cycle.

Things To Talk About When Giving A Gift

In many situations, you can no doubt and straight forward in a sentence or two can mention the gift in an indirect manner,

So, that the actual suspense and excitement level still remains the same for the receiver.

Mentioning things like how important the gift will be, how attached they will feel to this gift and other memorable stuff.

We do surely give a gift to make others happy and which probably will bring a cute smile on their face.

But you can also talk about some special incidents that happened in your life where the receiver of the gift played an important role.

You can shortly state about the sweet memories and time that you have together.

All such things with a matchable gift are a perfect way to present your gifts.

Sometimes the purpose of giving a gift can be slightly serious and worth mentioning the reason.

Hence, hands down and especially when you know the other person is closely attached to you and is very important to you.

And you consider them as your lifeline,

Therefore, a short describing of the reason and for which reason specifically you are giving them will make them realize that you truly value them and care for them.

You can also mention the things which they can get from the things and how this particular gift will be worth remembering for life long.

List no.4 in this post I had mentioned earlier before also talks about the experience.

Similarly, when you are confident enough that are passing such experience gifts then talking about such a small joy journey will intentionally increase excitement levels in the receiver of this gift.

Now, this is not a silly reason or escapism. But sometimes, people are in a rush.

With all the hectic work schedules, business meetings, or school/college timings,

People are lethargic to shop for a beautiful gift.

In such a case, you surely mention your situation and let the receiver know that due to lack of timing, you didn’t manage to get a proper gift but still somehow you did manage to bring something that will make their day.

That’s it from the post and I hope this gives you a detailed idea of what to say when giving a gift.

Different situations do require different phrases and from the listed ideas you can pretty much be well-informed for such situations.

Recommended Article:

How To Ask For Housewarming Gifts

How To Politely Ask For Gifts On an Invitation ? [7 Working Tips]

How To Say Thank You For Unexpected Gifts

How To Wrap A Gift In A Good Manner

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The Complete Gift Ideas Guide 2024

• Gift Idea Guide
• Gift Etiquette

What To Say When Giving A Gift

Giving a gift can be difficult. The recipient may not like it, you might say the wrong thing, or they might think it’s just not worth the price tag.

It’s overwhelming enough trying to figure out what gift to give, but then, you also need to come up with something to say when handing the gift to the recipient. Life doesn’t have to be so hard, we’re here to help with our handy list of things you can say when giving a gift.

Depending on the occasion, sometimes the best thing to say when handing a gift to someone is a simple:

‘Happy Birthday!’

‘Merry Christmas!’

‘Happy Anniversary’, or whatever else the occasion may call for.

This is a simple acknowledgement of the reason you are giving this lucky person a gift.

If you are giving a gift that is not for a special occasion, more of a ‘just because’ gift, then you could hand your gift over with a statement such as:

‘I saw this and thought of you.’

‘This made me think of you so I thought I’d get it for you.’

‘I really wanted to buy something from the cute little store to help the seller out, and I know how much you like strawberries, so I got this for you.’

‘I just felt like getting you something.’

‘Here’s a gift to show you how much you mean to me.’

‘You deserve it.’

‘I got you something – I hope you like it!’

‘Guess what I got for you!?’

‘Here’s a little something that I found for you.’

‘I thought you might find this useful!’

What To Say When Giving A Thank You Gift:

‘Just a small token of my appreciation.’

‘I got this for you to say thank you for…’

‘Thank you so much for……it really helped me out.’

‘You’ve no idea how much you helped me, this is just a little something to say thank you.’

‘I wanted to get you something to thank you.’

For something more formal, you could go with:

‘Please accept this gift as a token of my appreciation.’

‘I just wanted to formally acknowledge how much I appreciated your help.’

‘From all of us here, we just wanted to say thank you, and please accept this gift.’

Of course you can mix and match any of these types of statements so, depending on the occasion, you might say:

‘Happy birthday – I saw this and thought you might like it.’

‘Happy anniversary – I wanted to get you something special and I think this will look great on you.’

‘Merry Christmas – I hope you like it!’

You almost can’t go wrong when handing someone a gift – usually the recipient is genuinely delighted to be receiving a gift. Although apparently there is one phrase that people perceive negatively if it is said to them when handing them a gift, and that is ‘it will save you money.’

So, don’t hand them a gift, no matter how great it is, and tell them that it will save them money as this can cause offence. Telling the person it will save them money implies that they need help managing their money or that you don’t think they are using their money wisely and this tends to put negative connotations on the gift. Telling them it will save them time, however, is usually positively received! 

Also, phrases such as ‘I got you this because I don’t think you wear enough color,’ and ‘Your gravy is always lumpy so I got you this strainer,’ should be avoided.

Your recipient doesn’t want to hear your negative judgments about them when receiving a gift from you. You could still potentially buy them a nice colorful scarf or a strainer but don’t add the negative comments when giving them the gift, a simple ‘I hope you like it’ will do. 

Gift giving doesn’t have to be hard – in fact it should be an enjoyable process! If you have trouble choosing a gift for someone, check out our handy gift giving guides which are full of gift ideas and inspiration to get your gift giving, creative juices flowing.

We’ve even got a gift guide full of good gifts for people who have everything, so even those hard to buy for people are easy to buy for now! 

Once you’ve chosen the perfect present, giving the gift to the recipient shouldn’t be a stumbling block either, now that you know what to say when giving a gift.

Simply hand the gift to the lucky recipient, say one of our simple phrases (or something similar) and give them a genuine smile.

Happy Gift Giving!

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Presenting Gifts During the Speech

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(*Of course, if you’re looking for more than ‘advice’, check out all the different ways the Speechy team can help you write & deliver a great speech. Or check out our new AI-powered team member, SpeechyAI .)

The Gift-Giving Rules

Your wedding day is a chance to pay tribute to, not just your new spouse, but all your loved ones and those who have gone above and beyond to help with the wedding planning.

Wedding gifts are becoming more common with some etiquette guides suggesting nearly half your guestlists get a token of your appreciation!

It’s up to you whether you want to spend quite a considerable amount of money on gifts or whether a simple thank you card after the event might suffice.

Whatever the case, many couples opt to give the mother of the bride/groom gifts (generally bouquets of flowers) and they often choose to hand these out as part of the speeches.

From a speechwriter’s point of view, this is a BAD IDEA!

We’ve been to several weddings recently where a newlywed’s speech gets taken over by handing out gifts to the mums and other nice people. It’s a sweet gesture but it can become awkward. It stops the flow of the speech, and the speaker often has to stand around looking a bit gormless while the gifts are given out.

It’s also unnecessarily ‘showy’.

So just a thought, how about we put this nice gesture somewhere else? What about earlier in the day in a more intimate setting? Or even, after the cutting of the cake when the newlyweds are together and everyone’s already standing up? Or what about a few days prior to the wedding so the mums can utilise a more unusual and thoughtful gift on the actual wedding day?

Remember, it’s your wedding, so do it your way!

The Speechwriting Experts

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Our advice has been quoted everywhere from  The New York Times  to  Grazia  and from Forbes to The Observer . Our founder has also featured on the  BBC Sounds’ Best Men podcast with Jason Manford and written ‘ The Modern Couple’s Guide to Wedding Speeches’ , published by Little, Brown.

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What to Say When Giving a Gift?

You just purchased a gift for your loved one and can’t wait to see her delighted face while giving the gift.

Will you just handover the gift to the person or want to make the gift-giving moment memorable? 

What if you can’t decide what to say when giving a gift?

Though we have no written rules for gift-giving, each culture has its own customs. 

So, following some etiquettes, you can give a gift as well as a great memory to the person you care about.

Table of Contents

Think Before Selecting Gifts 

Giving gifts to your favorite person is not difficult, but it turns into great pleasure when you pre-plan everything. Moreover, you have to consider a few things before buying a fabulous present.

Giving some novels to a three-year-old baby is not wise at all. Age is an essential factor while choosing gifts. Carefully choose a suitable present for your loved ones.

Chocolates or flowers are such gifts that it doesn’t matter to whom you are giving these. Choose gifts according to the gender as well as what they like most. You can present a lovely dress or jewelry for the female whereas watch or wallet for the male.

Culture and Custom

Every culture maintains certain traditions to express feelings or give a gift to someone on occasion. Try to know about the norms of the culture before presenting a nicely wrapped box to them.

The relation with the person is also important while surprising someone on his/her birthday or any other occasion. You can’t give the same gifts to your friends and parents.

In case of formal situations, you should be conservative while presenting a gift. On the other hand, you can casually present something to your friends or family members.

Budget 

Selecting gifts according to your budget is another essential thing. If you want to cope with a low budget, you have to be trickier while choosing gifts. In that case, you have to buy small gifts for all instead of some costly gifts for two or three persons.

Probably you are willing to give a presentation on an occasion or a particular day. So, you must know the suitable and relatable gift which may represent your effort for them. If it’s her birthday, you can give her flowers, chocolates or anything she loves most.

So, you have to be aware of the occasion and the impact of giving the gift on that event to make it memorable.

How do you feel when your birthday is over, and your friend gives you a nice present? Well, it doesn’t matter how unique the gift is; you may not receive it anyways. That’s why proper timing is essential. 

Wish your beloved ones before the occasion or the special day. Your thoughtfulness and responsibility depend much on it.

Some Exceptional Gift Ideas

Gifts are always unique, but they can be more remarkable when you give them in some extraordinary ways.

Handmade gifts are always exceptional as these require efforts to make. It can be a box with pictures and memories, notebooks with some poems, or some letters remembering some great memories and wishes.

Selecting a suitable place to present a gift is also essential. You can arrange a candlelight dinner near a beach, or anywhere they like and thus give your favorite ones great surprises.

Initiate your speech with the origin or history behind the gift you are giving. It attracts people as well as makes the gifts memorable.

Creative things are always appreciated. So, leave the traditional things, and try to make something creative with your own effort.

Lastly, a gift becomes most impressive when it is a surprise. So, try to keep it a secret, and act like you are not going to give any presents. Thus, you can really amuse someone by giving them a present.

So, What to Say When Giving a Gift?

Giving a gift is not a big deal.

Yeah! But you can make that moment never to be forgotten by presenting the gift in a unique way. Of course, you have to know if it’s formal or informal and have to act like that.

Plus, you can make your way of giving gifts much better if you choose your words like this.

• I have something special for you. I hope you would like it!
• I got this little present for you on this occasion. Don’t forget to tell me what you think about it!
• Guess what is in this wrap! If you can, it will be yours!
• This is just a gift, but it means a lot. I hope that you will keep it!
• We would like to give you this token of our appreciation.
• I just thought of you when I saw this incredible piece in the store.
• I will be so pleased if you wear this.

Some Social Etiquettes for Gift Giving

Following some social norms at the time of giving presents to people is a must. Don’t forget these etiquettes though they vary depending on countries and cultures.

Try to practice some good manners and traditions of the culture you have.

Cut the Price Tag off

In the case of gifts, it’s not necessary to know or show the price. Prices never determine the value of a gift. Gifts are expressions of love and affection for someone you genuinely care about.

Your gift may be cheap or costly, but it means a lot to you. So, never give the gift with the price tag. Permanently remove the tag while giving a present.

Wrap the Present with Colorful Papers

We all love to get surprises, aren’t we? And so, when you hand over the present without wrapping, it’s no more a surprise. So, cover it with a colorful paper or packet, and adorn it with some ribbons or something else.

It would be great fun when you wrap a gift and ask them to guess it!

Add a Card with the Present

Presenting a good speech while giving someone a gift is not easy for all. In that case, handmade cards help a lot! You can write whatever you feel on the card even if you feel shy to express them while giving gifts.

If you can’t make cards, you can buy a nice one and write what you want to convey.

Be Positive and Confident

Think and act positively when you want to make something surprising for your beloved ones. Approach confidently and present your gift with a heart-touching speech or something memorable.

Don’t say things like “you may not like it,” “I could not afford much,” such things.

What about Return Gifts?

Suppose yesterday was your birthday but your friend didn’t even wish you, whereas you gave a great surprise on his birthday. Sounds horrible?

Though no law says that you have to give a return gift to someone who gave you something, but it’s up to you if you want to give them a surprise on special days or occasions.

Exchanging gifts is not a must as people don’t always expect return gifts. But it makes them happy to get return gifts and improves the relation between gift-givers and takers.

If you have a tight budget, purchase small gifts, and make them understand your situation, and try to give good things the next time.

Finally, try to make an effort for those who once did it for you.

Receive Gifts with Gratitude

Whatever the gift is, appreciate the giver for the gift with a smiling face. You may not like it, but don’t express it to them. Don’t forget to thank them. Even if you don’t give any return gift, write a hand note with thankfulness if possible.

And if the gift comes from a distant place, call him/her whenever you receive the gift.

Some Psychological Facts about Gift Giving

  Researchers found some interesting psychological facts about gift-giving.

• If you want to give a present on your friend’s birthday, ask him/her what he/she would like to have. Most people want gifts according to their needs or choices. So, you can ask your loved ones what will be suitable for them.
• Secondly, recipient focus gifts are more preferable to people. If you give your favorite book to your friend, that’s the way to share your thoughts and feelings with them.
• Return-gift is not a big deal as we think of it as a gift receiver. People don’t expect much of a return gift. It doesn’t hurt their feelings as we presume to be.

Final Verdict

Giving as well as receiving gifts define ourselves as individuals. So, try to exchange traditional gifts which says a lot about the cultures. And I hope that you have no more confusion about what to say when giving a gift.

Gifts are not mandatory to give or receive. But we rebuild our relations and nourish them through gift-giving. We make our loved ones feel special and remember that we truly care for them.

So, gifts are always special, and all of us certainly cherish a nicely wrapped token on the special moments.

More Gift Ideas:

• 12 Best Return Gifts For Birthday Party
• What To Say When Someone Gives You An Expensive Gift
• 15 Practical Gifts for 75th birthday Platinum Jubilee Celebration
• What To Actually Do When Someone Doesn’t Appreciate Your Gift
• What Are Some Of The Famous Return Gifts For Housewarming
• How To Send A Gift Anonymously And Still get some Appreciation

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Award Presentation Speech

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

Presentation Speech Topics For Award Ceremonies

Presentation speech template including eleven speech topics for presenting an award, prize or gift to a happy recipient leading to a brief photo opportunity in the end. Bear in mind that you have to be short and sweet epitomizing. Each of the public speaking speech topics take two or three sentences maximally. The layout in this tutorial helps an enchanted public speaker to set up a good and aesthetically ceremonial award presentation.

• The first remark you have to make is a commenting to the occasion. Refer why you are here together, refresh their memories a bit by stipulating why this is such a special day. Enforce the power of the delightful purpose of this meeting, and the happy recipient.
• Explain in your presentation speech what the award represents. Be brief, since the audience has read the invitation and publicity material. Describe these underlying elemental public speaking power factors:

• Describe the organization you are representing. Tell why you are privileged to present. Make your speech personal, offer personal thoughts, experiences and feelings.
• Praise the recipient. Present outstanding contributions, achievements or records that are relevant. Adapt them to the goals and meaning of the ceremonial special occasion .

Explain why the contributions are outstanding or unique. What offers did it take the winner? Refer to special qualifications and to similarities with other recipients.

Again: keep it short – 3 minutes for your award speech will do most of the time. Although it even can be somewhat shorter.

• Mention the reasons for choosing her or him as recipient. Link the contributions to the meaning of the honor.
• Make a concluding characterization by telling a compelling story or anecdote in the presentation speech text.
• Ask if the receiver will come forward and declare her or him the winner.
• Link the previous speech topics to what the prize gift stands for. Tip: read the inscription out loud and show the golden medal, the engraved plaque, the recognition trophy cup, or the certificate words.
• At the end of your address congratulate her or him.
• Hand over the award, prize, diploma, certificate or gift card.
• Shake hands with the person or group being honored. Schedule a brief photo opportunity and smile to the camera! After the ceremony you could allow a small interview to invited journalists.

Finally, of course give the winner the opportunity to speak after your award presentation speech address. And start clapping your hands to express your honest approval after she or he has completed the thank you phrases.

Keep smiling all the time.

Epideictic Speech [Topics and Examples]

Birthday Speech [From Celebrant or For a Guest]

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Learn What to Say in English When You Give or Receive a Gift

ThoughtCo / Hilary Allison

• Pronunciation & Conversation
• Writing Skills
• Reading Comprehension
• Business English
• Resources for Teachers
• TESOL Diploma, Trinity College London
• M.A., Music Performance, Cologne University of Music
• B.A., Vocal Performance, Eastman School of Music

Every culture has its own customs for gift-giving, and there are special words and phrases for such occasions in every language, including in English. Whether you're new to the language or are fairly proficient, you can learn what to say when you're giving or receiving a gift in just about any situation.

Formal and Informal Situations

In much of the English-speaking world, it is customary to use the right tone when giving and receiving gifts. In informal situations, such as when you're with friends or family, gift-givers and their lucky recipients can both be casual or clever. Some people like to make a big fuss when they give and receive presents; others are very modest. The important thing is to be sincere. Speech tends to be more conservative in formal situations such as a wedding or a workplace or when giving or receiving a gift from someone you don't know well.

Phrases for Giving Gifts

Informal situations.

Here are some common informal phrases you can use when giving a gift to a close friend, a family member, or a loved one:

• I got you something. I hope you like the gift ( or , I hope you like it).
• Look what I have for you!
• I thought you might like this for...
• Happy Birthday! [Happy Anniversary!] Here's a little gift/present for you.
• [Handing present to someone] Enjoy!
• It's only something small, but I hope you like it.
• Here's a little present for you.
• Guess what I bought you!

Formal Situations

These are a few common phrases for gift-giving in formal settings, such as a wedding or a business dinner:

• [Name], I'd like to give you this present/gift.
• [Name], This is a present that I/we/staff got you. 
• I'd like to present you with this...(very formal, used when giving an award or special present)
• In the name of [xyz], I'd like to give you this present. (also very formal)
• Here is a token of our appreciation.

Phrases for Receiving Presents

A sincere "thank you" spoken with a smile is the only English phrase you really need when someone gives you a gift. But if you want to expand your vocabulary , you'll want to know some other phrases to use in different situations:

• Thank you so much!
• That's so kind!
• You shouldn't have!
• Thank you! It's beautiful.
• I love it! I'll put it on/hang it up/... immediately.
• That is so thoughtful of you. It matches my...perfectly!
• How did you know I've always wanted a...to go with my...?
• Thank you. I really needed a...
• Fantastic! I've been thinking about getting a...
• This is exactly what I needed. Now, I can...
• How kind of you! I've always wanted to see...in concert/at the movies/at an exhibition.
• Wow! This is a dream come true! Tickets for...
• Thank you so much! I've hoped/wanted to travel to...for a long time.

Practice Dialogues

Now that you know more about what to say when you give or receive a present, practice the statements to keep your skills sharp. The following two dialogues are a good place to start. The first one is an informal setting between two people who know each other. The second dialogue is what you'd hear in a formal setting like an office. 

Friend 2: Anna, hi! It's good to see you.

Friend 1: Hi Tammy! I got you something. I hope you it.

Friend 2: I'm sure I will. Let me open it!

Friend 1: It's only something small.

Friend 2: Come on, thank you so much!

Friend 1: Well, what do you think?

Friend 2: I love it! It matches my sweater!

Friend 1: I know. That's why I bought it.

Friend 2: How did you know I've always wanted a broach to go with this sweater?

Friend 1: I'm glad you like it.

Friend 2: Like it? I love it!

Colleague 1: Your attention, your attention! Tom, could you come over here?

Colleague 2: What's this?

Colleague 1: Tom, in the name of everybody here, I'd like to give you this token of our appreciation.

Colleague 2: Thank you, Bob. I'm so honored.

Colleague 1: We thought you might be able to use this at home.

Colleague 2: Let's see...let me open it.

Colleague 1: The suspense is killing us.

Colleague 2: You've wrapped it up so tightly! Oh, it's beautiful.

Colleague 1: What do you think?

Colleague 2: Thank you so much! This is exactly what I needed. Now I can get to work building that birdhouse.

Colleague 1: We had a little help from your wife. She told us about your love of woodworking.

Colleague 2: What a thoughtful gift. I'll put it to good use immediately.

Colleague 1: Thank you, Tom, for all you've done for this company.

Colleague 2: My pleasure, indeed.

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• Asking for and Giving Directions in English
• How to Ask and Answer Basic English Questions
• Expressing Disappointment in English
• How to Express Sadness in English
• ESL: Improve Your English Telephone Skills
• Compliments in English
• Making Invitations
• Expressing Enthusiasm or Joy
• Please, Thank You and You're Welcome
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How to Write a Meaningful Appreciation Speech

Updated 09/9/2022

Published 06/15/2020

Kate Wight, BA in English

Contributing writer

Cake values integrity and transparency. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our affiliate disclosure .

There are many ways to show someone that you appreciate them. You can buy them a gift. You can write them a thank-you note. And in some cases, you can give a speech in their honor. There are plenty of occasions when you may find yourself in a position to give an appreciation speech.

Jump ahead to these sections: 

• Steps for Writing an Appreciation Speech

Sample Appreciation Speeches

If you’re graduating from high school or college, you might give a speech thanking friends and family members for their support.

If you own a business, you might tell your employees “ thank you for your support ” as part of a speech. Speeches can also be a great way to say “ I appreciate you ” to the people in your life who support you.

Here, we break down the steps that go into crafting an excellent appreciation speech. We also include excerpts of speeches from an assortment of occasions and audiences to draw inspiration from. 

Step 1: Know Your Audience — And Your Place

Your speech will depend on a variety of factors. But the most important ones to consider are the setting and the crowd. If your speech is a casual toast between friends over a bottle of wine, it will be a lot more casual.

You can rely on personal anecdotes and the language you use will be more personal. If you’re giving a formal speech in front of colleagues though, your tone will be very different. Your speech will be a lot more structured and concise. 

Step 2: Create an Outline

Whether your appreciation speech is long or short, it’s always a good idea to craft an outline ahead of time. This will help you make sure you don’t forget to mention anything you want to cover. Overall, most speeches will break down like the following:

• Introduction: In an introduction, you will let the audience know who you are and give a preface of what you plan to say. For instance, if you’re recognizing a specific person in an appreciation speech, give a quick rundown of why they’re worthy of appreciation.
• Body: Here, you’ll flesh out the points you made in your introduction. You can give more specific examples of things the subject of your speech has done, and you’ll expand on why those actions deserve gratitude. 
• Conclusion: In this final section, you can reiterate the points you made earlier in the speech. 

Step 3: Grab People’s Attention with Gratitude

Start with a strong opening line. In a more formal speech, a quote about gratitude can be an excellent way to set the tone. In a more casual speech, you can avoid a quote. However, you should still stick with the theme of gratitude.   

Step 4: Be Personal and Specific

In casual and formal speeches alike, you should feel free to be specific. If you’re giving a speech in honor of one person, you can list all of the things they do that deserve appreciation. If you’re thanking other people for their support, you can list the ways they helped you.

Personal anecdotes are a lot more engaging for listeners. They will also help you feel more connected to your material. The more connected you feel, the more confident you’ll be in speaking. These personal anecdotes can be funny, poignant, or a blend of the two. Again, this will largely be dictated by your audience and the setting of your speech.    

Step 5: Practice Makes Perfect

For a casual speech like an appreciation toast, you can probably get away with speaking off the cuff. But any kind of pre-planned appreciation speech definitely benefits from repeated practice.

The more comfortable you are with the speech, the easier it will be for you to deliver it. If you don’t know your speech inside and out, there’s a good chance that you can be tripped up by certain words or turns of phrase. 

Step 6: Time Yourself

When you’re practicing your speech, you should also be timing yourself. This means you should have a stopwatch going while you read your speech aloud. Speeches can be deceptive.

A few pages don’t seem like they should take that long to read. If you only read them over in your head, that can reinforce the notion that your speech isn’t that long. But it takes a lot longer to read something aloud than it does reading it to yourself.

If you don’t practice it out loud ahead of time, you may panic in the middle of your actual delivery. If you fear your speech is taking too long, you might start to read faster and faster, which could make the speech incomprehensible. Practicing it out loud can help you hit your ideal time target without having to rush.   

Step 7: Keep Your Notes Handy

Even if you’ve practiced your speech until it’s practically etched into your brain, you always want to keep notes or an outline with you. No matter how much you practice, you may find yourself freezing up in the moment. If you don’t have notes handy, you might flounder. On the other hand though, you also shouldn’t keep your whole speech with you.

If you do, you might find yourself relying on it like a security blanket. You may end up just reading the whole speech straight from the paper without engaging with your audience at all. Both ends of the spectrum are too extreme, so it’s best to find a happy medium. Some people just keep their outline with them.

Other people write out the first sentence of each paragraph to jog their memory and help them orient themselves. As you practice, you’ll find the method that works best for you.

Step 8: Do a Test Run in Front of an Audience

Practicing for a speech on your own is important. But once you feel more comfortable with the speech, you should practice in front of someone. Ideally, you’ll rehearse it in front of people several times until you can keep your nervous responses in check.

This means delivering the speech without your heart racing and your speech speeding up to match.   

Step 9: Weed Out Any Trouble Spots

Every time you practice your speech, you should be refining it until you can’t improve it any further. One of the big things you should be looking out for is your usage of filler words or speech disfluencies.

Speech disfluencies encompass those little noises like “um”, “er”, and “uh” that we tend to use when we aren’t confident. These can make people tune out because your discomfort makes them feel awkward in turn.

As you practice, pay attention to places where you’re inserting those disfluencies. Keep practicing them until you become comfortable enough to leave them out. Or, rewrite those sections so they come to you more naturally.  

Step 10: End On a Good Note

Above all else, remember that this speech is intended to be a positive thing. An appreciation speech should make someone’s day .

Remember to end the speech by reaffirming specifically why you are showing appreciation.    

Now that we’ve gone into what makes a good appreciation speech, let’s see some examples. These are just excerpts from longer speeches, but they may help demonstrate the sort of content you might be looking for. 

Example of appreciation speech for graduation

“As I look around at all my classmates, I realize how much I appreciate you all. Many of us have relied on each other to make it through school and to our graduation day. We supported each other during tough times. We used each other’s examples to fuel us towards getting better grades. When someone was in danger of not graduating, we pulled together to get everyone to the finish line. We all owe a lot to our families for their support. But we should also be sure to appreciate ourselves.” 

Example of appreciation speech for friends

“I’d like to take a moment to raise a glass in appreciation for Bethany. Everyone here has one thing in common — Bethany’s friendship. She has always had an uncanny knack for finding people in need of a community and bringing us together. From there, we’ve been able to find the other things that connect us. But if it weren’t for Bethany, most of us would have missed out on enriching, life-changing friendships. Bethany — here’s to you!”

Example of appreciation speech for employees or a boss

“As the year draws to an end, I’m proud to announce that it’s the company’s strongest year yet. We have grown by leaps and bounds and still managed to maintain profitability. Our client satisfaction scores have never been higher. And each and every one of you has played a role in our success.

"I want to thank our sales division for going above and beyond in meeting our clients’ needs. I want to thank our marketing department for creating materials that are very transparent about our mission. I want to thank the managers for leading their divisions by example. I could stand up here and tell you a half dozen things I appreciate about every person in this room, but I’m sure you’re all ready to hit the buffet line. So I’ll conclude by saying that I appreciate all of your contributions, and am so proud to be on a team with each and every one of you.”

Example of appreciation speech for mom, dad, grandma, or grandpa

“Hello everyone! I’d like to thank all of you for coming here today in celebration of Grandma Joy and Grandpa Bill’s 50th wedding anniversary. As most of you know, I’ve never had a relationship last more than a year. Fifty years is an absolutely mind-boggling level of commitment to someone like me. 

"There are so many reasons to love and appreciate Joy and Bill. There’s all the basic grandparent stuff. Joy taught me how to make amazing cookies and Bill taught me how to change a tire. But they also took me in when my home life was less than ideal. And when they realized some of my friends also had difficult lives at home, they opened up their den as a safe space. On any given day, you could find at least two or three misfit teenagers sleeping on their fold-out couch. 

"Grandma and Grandpa, I’ll never be able to let you know how much I appreciate you. I know you probably don’t think you even did anything special. But you have made so many lives worth living thanks to your compassion and generosity. Thank you for always being there for others, just like you’ve been there for each other for five decades.”

Show People You Appreciate Them Through Meaningful Speeches

There are many ways to show gratitude . An appreciation speech is just one of them. Whether you’re giving a short toast or a lengthy speech, you can communicate your gratitude for someone.

These steps and examples should help you craft an excellent speech. Ultimately though, just remember to be sincere and personal. That’s the real key to successfully showing appreciation. 

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The Importance of Presentation When Gift-Giving

There are many ways to incorporate our creativity when giving thanks and appreciation. The tradition of giving gifts is a tried and true staple of these values. While it has become a common practice, there is an importance of presentation when gift-giving that needs to be understood as a quintessential piece of the gift and thought itself.

Remembrance

If there is a personal transaction between two parties, where one party expects nothing in return, then something special is taking place. A large part of the appeal of gift-giving is that you’re also giving someone a memory—of the gift, but also of kindness.

The Message

Messages are often included with gifts. If the gift itself did not meet or exceed your expectations, you could be sure that the letter that came along with it will. The extra touch of personal sentiment means you’ve gone the extra mile to let the other party know you truly care.

Gift-giving is usually easy when you’re giving someone something out of kindness and thoughtfulness. However, if the gift is aimed more at that person’s interests and what you think they may like, then you could potentially risk getting the wrong thing.

This is where the uniqueness of the gift comes into play. One thing everyone fears is gifting the same gift someone else is already giving. Another is ending up with a gift unrelated to anything the recipient is interested in. So, there is a fine line to tread.

Dress for the Occasion

How we decorate our gift says a lot about the level of importance that went into the gift itself. Some people hold value in the decoration alone. Imagine what it would be like to be handed a gift without the wrapping and how not special that would feel—things would definitely become awkward. Make sure your gift is beautifully wrapped.

How do you put a value on a gift that has personal value to the gift-giver? Sometimes the simple things make the best gifts. For instance, gifting something that’s handmade is something of a rarity in this age but still holds a lot of weight.

Maybe your wrapping and ribbon skills are lacking, but if you are good with your hands, then the gift can speak for itself. Some of the best gifts are those that catch us by surprise and awe us day in and out.

The beautiful wrapping and packaging are something that people look forward to just as much as, if not more, than the gift itself. If we understand that the importance of presentation when gift-giving as individual and unique as anything else, then we understand what it means to give and receive.

Check out our line of gift-packaging here.

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