Gift Giving For Loved Ones

You want to give meaningful gifts to the people you care about most. But between busy schedules and Amazon scrolling, gift-giving often becomes a last-minute rush rather than a thoughtful process.

Your assistant can change this.

Here's how to work together to give gifts to those that matter most ↓

Start with context

The most important step happens before any shopping:

Sharing what you know about the recipient with your assistant. A quick voice note works best here — it's natural and lets you share rich details while you're walking between meetings or driving.

Don't worry about being organized - just talk it out. Your assistant can extract and organize the key details.

A simple framework for your voice note is:

• Start with their current interests and passions
• Move to recent life changes or upcoming events
• Share any challenges or wishes they've mentioned
• End with special memories or inside jokes

Tell your assistant about:

• What lights up the recipient's face when they talk
• Recent changes in their life (new home, job, hobby)
• Past gifts they've loved (and why)
• Their daily routines and challenges
• Special memories you share

For example, one Athena member left this voice note for their assistant:

"Amy just started painting again after 10 years. She talks about missing her art studio from college. She's working from her kitchen table now because she doesn't have space for a proper setup in her apartment. She mentioned loving the light in this coffee shop downtown where she sometimes works..."

This context helped the assistant research portable easels, specialty lighting, and eventually find a membership to a local artists' workspace - something the member wouldn't have thought of alone.

Choose your “gift”

With solid context, you and your assistant can explore three different gift-giving options:

1/ "Buy something special"

• Limited editions of brands they love
• Upgrades to daily items they use
• Handmade pieces from artists they follow
• Custom versions of standard item

Example: An Athena member's assistant tracked down a first-edition book from their spouse's favorite childhood author, complete with original illustrations.

2/ "Give them an experience"

• Private lessons or workshops
• Behind-the-scenes access
• Special meals or tastings
• Weekend trips or local adventures

Example: One member's assistant arranged a private cooking class with a chef from their friend's favorite restaurant, followed by dinner featuring the dishes they learned to make.

3/ "Make it personal"

• Photo albums or memory books
• Video messages from friends/family
• Commissioned art or music
• Custom-designed items

Example: An assistant helped coordinate video messages from 20+ friends and family members, editing them into a surprise birthday compilation.

Be clear with your assistant about budget ranges for different recipients and occasions. This helps them filter options and avoid presenting choices that aren't viable.

Let your assistant handle the details

Once you pick a direction, your assistant can research options and create a shortlist. From there, they can handle things like vendor communications, timelines and logistics, and add thoughtful touches (think: cards and wrapping).

Your assistant can also help prevent gift overlap by coordinating with family members or friends, especially for big occasions like weddings, baby showers, or milestone birthdays.

You don't get removed from your gift-giving, but you free yourself to focus energy on the important parts (knowing the person, making key choices) while your assistant handles the execution.

Over time, your assistant learns more about your relationships and which gifts resonate most.

They become better at suggesting ideas and spotting opportunities throughout the year, not just during holidays or birthdays.

After each gift, take a minute to tell your assistant what worked well and what could be better.

Did the recipient use the gift? Were they excited?

This feedback helps refine future gift choices and builds your assistant's understanding of your gift-giving style.