How to Create Your Own Gifts Survey (Step-by-Step Guide)

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Jul 12, 2025

When it comes to giving gifts, you’ve got two choices:

1. Pick something that reminds you of the person.
2. Pick something you know they actually want.

The first one is heartfelt, but it's risky. The second one? It hits the mark every time. Whether you are organizing a Secret Santa, buying gifts for your team, or exploring how to discover your spiritual gift, creating a simple gift survey takes the guesswork out of giving.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to create your own gift survey, including tips, sample questions, and free templates for you.

Why Create a Gifts Survey?

Good intentions do not always lead to good gifts. According to a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, 58% of gift recipients say they receive gifts they don’t want. Another survey by Finder.com found that 1 in 2 Americans receive unwanted gifts during the holidays, costing an estimated $10.1 billion annually in wasted spending.

Instead of relying on assumptions, you can use real input to make gifts intentional and more personal. The insights you collect can be reused in future decisions. When people feel seen and heard in the gift-giving process, the gesture becomes truly meaningful. So before you click "buy," consider clicking "send survey" instead.

Let’s discuss a case study.

Case Study: Tremendous Gift Survey Reveals What Employees Really Want

In 2022, Tremendous, a global payouts platform, ran a survey with 1500 employees across 10 different industries in the U.S. The mission was to determine what types of gifts actually boost employee satisfaction. And what kinds of gifts do employees prefer?

The findings revealed both the benefits and drawbacks of giving gifts to employees during the holidays.

75% of employees said a holiday gift from their employer improved their job satisfaction.
46% said this positive feeling lasted a full year or more.
65% preferred money (cash, prepaid Visa, or a gift card) over physical items.
66% said a gift valued between $50–$100 felt “just right.”

The study also reveals that 31% of employees stated that a poorly chosen present made them feel unappreciated, worse than receiving no gift at all. Some responders reported receiving a turkey, a company T-shirt, or even a coupon for a 50% discount pretzel. Unsurprisingly, these were not warmly received.

"Unless you're gifting money to employees, you're doing it wrong."

Ian Floyd, Head of Research, Tremendous at Tremendous, commenting on what most employees actually want

If you want to give people something they’ll love, ask them. Personalized gifts (or simply asking through a survey!) can lead to real returns in employee retention, loyalty, and productivity.

See the full Tremendous report.

Step-by-step guide to creating a gift survey

Follow these simple steps to create a gift survey that drives appreciation and impact.

Step 1: Define the Purpose of Your Survey

Before you start, take a moment to set your survey goals. Some of the common goals can be:

Looking for gift preference survey questions for a birthday, wedding, or Secret Santa?
Trying to help someone discover their spiritual gift?
Survey for fun, reflection, or community building?

Choose the survey type

The next step is to choose the survey type that depends on your goals. Here are two common types:

Gift Preference Survey

Use this type when you want to find out what kind of gifts people wish for events, team celebrations, weddings, or bridal showers, as well as personal occasions like birthdays or holidays. The primary focus of this survey is to help you understand someone’s likes and dislikes through different categories, such as favorite gift categories, price ranges, or specific items.

Spiritual Gifts Survey

This type is for personal growth, church groups, or communities to discover their God-given spiritual gifts, like leadership, teaching, compassion, and wisdom. Use this if your goal is to guide people toward purpose-driven service, leadership, or self-awareness in a faith-based context.

Step 2: Choose the Right Survey Tool

Once you've decided which type of gift survey you want, you’ll need an online survey tool to create and distribute it. That’s where TheySaid really stands out.

With TheySaid, you can help create surveys in minutes. All you have to do is enter your goal or website link, and it generates questions that resonate with your audience.
Engage your respondents naturally with conversational question flows that feel like a chat to gather deeper insights.
It automatically summarizes data and identifies trends and patterns for you to act on.
Send your survey anywhere, via email, social media, or embed it on your website to reach your audience wherever they are.
TheySaid ensures your respondents’ data is safe and confidential.

Whether you’re surveying a team to find the perfect gift or helping a faith-based group reflect on their purpose, TheySaid makes the survey experience feel personal, smart, and fast.

Try it out!

Step 3: Ask the Right Questions

A great gift survey question is not just asking about what you want, but a mix of questions that help to understand someone’s personality, interests, and values.

General Gift Preference Survey Questions

These questions help you learn what people actually want, avoiding generic or unwanted gifts. Here are the key categories to cover:

Food & Drinks

Do you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions?
Do you enjoy coffee, tea, soft drinks, or wine?
What is your favorite snack or treat?
Do you have more of a sweet tooth or do you crave salty snacks?
Is there a food item or cuisine you absolutely love or dislike?

Hobbies & Interests

What activities do you enjoy in your free time?
What’s something interesting you have always wanted to try?
Share your top 3 hobbies.
Are you into reading, gaming, sports, or crafts?
What’s your favorite way to relax on weekends?

Budget and Value Insights

What’s a comfortable price range for a gift?
Would you prefer one higher-value item or a few small surprises?
Do you value practicality or novelty more in a gift?
How important is the usefulness of the gift to you?

Style and Presentation

How would you describe your personal style?
What kind of packaging do you find most appealing?
Would you enjoy receiving something with a vintage or retro feel?
How important is color in your gift preferences?
Do aesthetics influence your choices when buying or receiving gifts?

Gift Specifics

What’s a gift you received recently that you loved?
What type of gift do you not enjoy?
Is there something you’ve been wanting recently?
Are there any stores, brands, or platforms you love?

Spiritual Gifts Survey Questions

I have a deep desire to study God’s Word regularly and in depth.
I strongly value education and the pursuit of understanding.
I'm willing to take long-term, personal responsibility for the spiritual growth of a group of believers.
I feel confident speaking in front of groups about faith-related topics.
I am drawn to organizing and coordinating events or people.
Do you feel called to give generously (time, money, resources)?
Have you ever felt a strong inner push to pray or act on someone’s behalf?
Do you notice patterns or deeper truths that others often miss?

Step 4: Personal or Anonymous?

Before launching the survey, decide whether responses should be personal or anonymous. This simple choice has a huge impact on outcomes and survey experience.

Personal surveys are best for:

Secret Santa or team gifting
Birthday or holiday gifts
Wedding or baby shower registries
Volunteer or church leadership assessments

Anonymous surveys are best for:

Church groups exploring spiritual gifts
Gifting trends for large teams
Budget planning for group events
General sentiment about previous gifts

Step 5: Distribute Your Survey Strategically

Think about where your audience hangs out online or offline. For employees, email or company Slack channels work well. For friends or community groups, social media, WhatsApp, or text messages might get better responses. Be clear about why you’re asking and how long it will take, so people know it’s worth their time.

Step 6: Analyze Results

Once you have collected responses, look for patterns. Are most people leaning toward a certain gift type? Do many prefer a specific price range? Highlight special requests and ideas. Use an AI-powered tool such as TheySaid to get instant clarity with smart tags, sentiment themes, and charts that actually make sense.

Step 7: Match Gifts to Responses

Now it’s time to put insights into action. Match each individual (or group) with a thoughtful, personalized gift or opportunity.

Here are a few examples for you:

For Physical Gifting:

Match coffee lovers with gift cards to their favorite café.
Send books to those who marked “avid reader.”
Use favorite colors or styles when wrapping gifts.

For Spiritual Gifts:

Assign volunteers to roles aligned with their strengths.
Provide resources or courses based on their top areas of interest.
Celebrate and affirm each person’s unique contribution.

Free Gift Preference Survey Template

Title: Help Us Find the Perfect Gift for You!

Intro: We want to give you something you’ll actually love. Take a minute to tell us what makes the perfect gift in your eyes.

Which category of gifts do you enjoy most?
☐ Tech & Gadgets
☐ Books
☐ Food & Drink
☐ Fashion & Accessories
☐ Home Decor
☐ Experiences (e.g., spa day, escape room)

Do you have any food preferences or allergies we should know about?
(Open text)

Sweet tooth or salty cravings?
☐ Sweet
☐ Salty
☐ Both
☐ Neither

What kind of hobbies or interests do you have?
(Open text)

How would you describe your personal style?
☐ Minimalist
☐ Trendy
☐ Classic
☐ Bold
☐ Functional

What’s your ideal price range for a thoughtful gift?
☐ Under $25
☐ $25–$50
☐ $50–$100
☐ $100+

Do you prefer practical gifts or something more sentimental?
☐ Practical
☐ Sentimental
☐ A mix of both

Any “no thanks” items we should avoid?
(Open text)

Free Spiritual Gifts Survey Template

Title: Discover Your Spiritual Strengths

Intro: This quick self-assessment helps uncover your dominant spiritual gifts. Choose the response that best reflects your usual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

I place great importance on repentance and personal growth.