Give and receive the right gift this Hanukka

Website FancyGiving.com takes the guesswork out of giving and receiving gifts.

By JADE POLAY
Hanukka gift available on FancyGiving.com (photo credit: Courtesy)
Hanukka gift available on FancyGiving.com
(photo credit: Courtesy)
As the holiday season comes into full swing, the perils of finding the right gift for a loved one can quickly put a damper on what should be an otherwise joyous and relaxing time of year. While some who celebrate Hanukka may spend their evenings lighting candles and filling up on tasty latkes and sweet sufganiyot, others stress about what to give the friend who has everything, or what to buy for an exceptionally picky family member.
Thankfully, the gift service and wishlist website FancyGiving.com has come up with a solution for these Hanukka-related quandaries. The website, which was soft launched in May, allows users to create their very own wish lists, suggest gifts for others and give gift cards. Membership is free and the only requirement is that you have a Facebook account.
FancyGiving.com originated in London during the summer of 2012, when German Jews Robert Stafler and Raffael Johnen didn’t know what to get their wife and sister for their birthdays. They thought that it would be beneficial if they could know and see exactly what they wanted. Realizing that many gift givers face similar predicaments on special occasions, and combining their experience working in start-ups, the pair came up with the idea. They then handed it off to a team that grew to include, Odelia Johnen, head of operations, and, Rachel Stafler, who oversees public relations.
By simply logging into Facebook, users can easily find out what their friends and family want for the holidays. They can create their own lists too. Using the site, you can start a wish list for others, and loved ones can approve suggestions or reject them. This helps to ensure that everyone is content throughout the gift giving process.
The “accept/reject,” feature of the website is useful, because it allows gift recipients to have input. Instead of waiting in line at a customer service counter, or going to the Post Office to mail back an unwanted gift, FancyGiving.com helps you give gifts that others want and get gifts that you want. It is a win-win situation.
“When I give a gift to someone I find it so much better if it’s something that that they actually want.” says Stafler.  “Fancy Giving is a place where everyone can list and share items they wish for, be it on the occasion of a birthday, wedding, holiday or just because. It’s a pleasant way of telling friends and family, ‘this is what I would be happy to receive.’”
“Fancy Givers” have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of gifts made available on the company’s website or they can add items from the web, or from their mobile devices. Gadgets, food, apparel and travel related items are just some of the site’s gift categories. Using the “Wish It,” button, any product and service on the web can be added, which helps to create a “universal wishlist,” according to Stafler.
Users “can come to FancyGiving.com for inspiration. They don’t just come here to get another product. What makes us unique is that we try to identify products that are special,” says Stafler.
Coinciding with Hanukka, the site features an eclectic mix of inspired goodies including a menorah made out of Origami paper and miniature dreidel soaps.
Aside from the fact that users can add to each other’s wish lists, they can also team up to buy gift cards. A group of friends can come together, using the site, and fund a gift for a special someone.
“People who have used Fancy Giving have come back telling us how easy it is and how much time they saved that otherwise would have been spent searching for the perfect gift. At its heart, gift giving should be about making others happy, and Fancy Giving helps make that possible,” says Stafler.
By offering both givers and recipients the chance to weigh in on executive holiday decisions, Hanukka can be properly enjoyed, without present induced anxiety.