Gifts

Every Tuesday I try to list five (5) great gifts to give or gift giving ideas, sites and the occasional link.  However this week I thought instead of gift ideas, a discussion about gifts might be interesting.

gift/gift/

Noun:	A thing given willingly to someone without payment; a present: "a gift shop".
Verb:	Give (something) as a gift, esp. formally or as a donation or bequest: "the company gifted 2,999 shares to a charity".
Synonyms:	noun.  present - talent - donation - offering - endowment verb.  give - endow - present - donate - grant - endue

  

Now that the definition is done with, what is a gift and how do you shop for one or decide if something is appropriate for gift-giving.

Is it the amount of money spent?  No.

Is it the thought that counts? Yes.  But that only goes so far.

An article I read several years ago had a check list for Gift Buying and comments on receiving them and what an appropriate response might be to getting one that isn't exactly pleasing.

CHECK LIST:

How much thought did you put into the present?

Did you spend Five minutes, Five Hours, Five Days, grabbed a chap-stick off the impulse rack at the local Wal-Greens?

Does it reflect the recipient's taste or style?

Is it something the recipient would buy for themselves?

Did you buy it because you like it, or because the recipient will like it?

(Don't fall into that trap, just because you like it doesn't mean the recipient will!  Remember you are buying something for someone else, not for you.)

Would you wear it? 

(Here's a hint, if you won't, neither will the recipient).  Ask yourself again if it is to the recipient's taste or style.

Have you ever seen the recipient with something similar? 

If yes, the item in question is probably a "safe" gift idea.

Is this an appropriate gift?

If your spending $400.00 to impress someone, it is not a good gift.

If your spending $10.00  for the item and the recipient will love it (addition to a collection, a favorite Band's CD, or something they have specifically asked for), then it's an excellent gift.

What do you do when some one gives you something you really don't like, isn't to your taste or style and there is no way you are ever going to use it or wear it?

Always be gracious, say "Thank you", and smile politely, and be appreciative, do not make a fuss over it, and try not to look too disappointed.  For heaven's sake DO NOT re-gift it!  That is just tacky.  Instead try a couple of the following.

Recycle!  Find a use for it.  There has got to be something you can do with whatever it is...

Charity!  A six month waiting period is usually appropriate before giving the unwanted item to your local Auxiliary, Junior League or  Thrift Shop.  There are folks less fortunate that would love to own what you don't want or need (or like for that matter).

Re-Design or Re-Purpose!  Almost like recycling think of it as today's Artisan fun buzz word "Up-Cycling".  Cut it up, take it apart, make something else out of it.  Get creative and figure out some unique and different use or pattern for it.

Tuck It Away!  At some point we have all had something that was given away and we needed, wanted or wished we hadn't parted with years later.  This is not to say keep everything for an eternity, but tucking something away only to be found later can be like discovering treasure.  If you have put the item away, and come across it again, still don't like or can not think of an alternate use, then you may wish to reevaluate the item, and either put it away once more or select a more decisive course of action and choose one of the above options.

If nothing else a gift should be heart-felt, and be accepted in kind.

Thank you for stopping by.  Food for thought is always good.