Sunday, December 28, 2008

Tis the Season

The gifts were aplenty this holiday season like usual. Okay, okay...so maybe there was a bit less spending going on for us and others. But it was a good Christmas overall. What did you haul in with your Santa bounty? Anything good? Anything you want to give back?

What about those gifts that you have to fake a smile when you open them? You know the ones, the gifts where you are thinking "What the fuck am I going to do with this?" I'm all about making sure the gift I get for someone is actually something they want (score one for gift lists even if people hate them). Giving a gift just to frickin' give one and knowing it's not something the receiver really wants is just tasteless in my book. I'd rather the gift not come at all. I'm not saying that I got any of "those" gifts this year, but a few have come across my lap a time or two.

The husband and I were just reminiscing about the first Christmas together and how I wanted a stepper. What I meant was that I wanted like a Reebok step, the one where it's really just a plastic box step you step up on for the workout video. The hubby (well, the boyfriend at that time) gave me this lovely stepper. Like a stepping machine without the handles, it was just the steps. I was like, "What the hell!!!" He returned it for something else. *wink*

But what happens to all those gifts that we get and don't really want? Are they destined to be re-gifted? I know, that's a whole nother topic. To be put in your summer garage sale? Donated to the nearest charity? Tell me, what happens to those gifts.

And how to do you make it known, as politely and as sneaky as possible, that you have some ideas on what to gift you for next year or your birthday? Especially when the giver thinks they've scored the perfect gift for you, only you are cringing on the inside.

Don't be afraid, I know we've all gotten at least one gift where we pondered how to best get rid of it. Do tell your gift secrets pretty please. I may take a collection of non-wanted gifts and send them to the best comment. Just kidding, I swear. or am I?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

um, yeah. I got a couple this year.

What has helped a ton is I created a wish list in Amazon.com. One for the kids, so grandparents & everyone can see what the kids want for any holiday, b-days or Christmas or anytime. Then, there's a place in Amazon to add a wish list. I created one for me & E for things we want. More for me to bookmark things I like so I can tell others, but it was seen, and I did get one or two things from it this year. It's extremely handy!

This way, instead of me constantly trying to supply lists & keeping track of what I suggested to who, everyone can look for themselves. You just have to supply the user name & password for them to access it.

Now nobody can say they don't know what to get any of us!

Donna said...

I have been shopping for myself for years! My mom gave up trying to buy us (I have two sisters) christmas gifts (and birthday too) when we were all in High School. Now she just tells us how much she wants to spend and we go find what we want. I actually LOVE it. My husband hates the idea of me knowing exactly what I'm getting every year but it works for me. I kind of wish he'd do the same thing...

Aunt Becky said...

I got a collectors box set of West Side Story, meant for both The Daver and I. Neither of whom likes musicals or anything. Weirdness.

Also: 2 of the same shitty popcorn maker. Seriously, bottom of the barrel one. It works, barely, but hey, I'll take it.

Anonymous said...

I usually end up re-gifting whatever I don't want. Easier all the way around for me. I took a bunch of things that I got last year and put them in a gift basket for a Yankee Swap at a party. It was a big hit and I didn't have to spend a dime!

Amy said...

I am the queen of re-gifting. Sometimes I use the things I don't want for things like gift swaps, that way people don't know it was me that put it in, LOL.