Whether it’s a Lynx gift set, a naff pair of socks or a Secret Santa present that’s remained in its box all these years – we’ve all received a dud Christmas present and have been guilty of giving a dud gift to someone too.

But when it comes to our loved ones and our relationships with them, new research shows it really is quite important to ensure that a gift you give or the message you send with it reflects what you know about them.

The type of gifts we receive holds a lot of merit when it comes to how we perceive the strength of our connections.

More than a quarter of women (26%) believe that their partner knowing what their favourite brands are is a sign of a strong relationship, according to new research from One4all Favourites Gift Cards.

Similarly, when it comes to our relationships with our parents, we believe that them knowing our favourite foods (33%), hobby (20%), and TV show (16%) are amongst the top things that signify a strong relationship with them.

More than 1 in 5 (21%) of us even admit to feeling closer to our friends and family when we receive a present from them that we actually like – with that figure rising to more than a quarter (26%) amongst 16 to 24-year-olds.

Yet, while the age-old saying underlines that it’s the thought behind the gift that counts – it seems like some of us aren’t confident our loved ones know us well enough to get something we’d like.

In fact, more than 1 in 8 people (13%) don’t believe their friends or family members will have a clue what sort of thing they would like to receive as a gift, while 15% say despite knowing their interests and likes, their friends and family won’t know what sort of brands or products are their favourites or which they already own. A further 8% of us also say we often receive gifts that are vaguely in line with what we like, but the brands or specific products received are rarely correct.

Gift cards are a great solution to this age-old problem.

With a One4all Gift Card, there’s very little to get wrong – a gift card which gives the recipient a choice of where to spend it, along with a personal note suggesting which hobbies, interests or needs they spend it on, goes a lot further than a gift which will end up straight in the bottom ofsomeone’s wardrobe.

And with the new One4all Favourites range, it has never been easier to send a personal gift which reflects a loved one’s interests, without worrying about mis-stepping on the exact brand, size or type of item they would like.

One4all Favourites Gift Cards are currently available in three different variations; Beauty & Spa Favourites; Gamers Favourites; or Home & Garden Favourites.

They can be spent with a variety of popular stores from within the card’s sector, loaded with anything from £15 to £100 and are easy to buy.

For more information and to buy, visit: www.one4allfavourites.com

Have you received a gift which has been so right for you that you have been surprised or touched the person who gave it to you got it right? Tell us using #One4allFavourites with the handle @One4allUK on Facebook, @One4allGiftUK on Twitter and @One4all.gift on Instagram.