The opportunity for teaching life lessons there are super valuable, indeed.

...and, you're right: I think there is a way to overperform. Remember that the figures cited above are averages; some people pay $50 for gifts valued at $60, let's say.

That's how I approach gifts: something the person would enjoy but doesn't know/appreciate yet, and wouldn't have gotten for themselves.

(Economically, I suppose it amounts to giving them information about products in the market, ie closing the missing information gap)