Gifts - getting them & receiving them

chic

chic

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What do like to give the special people in your life for gifts? What do you like to receive yourselves for gifts?

I like to give someone something I think they will enjoy. If they enjoying reading - a book, if they enjoy food, edible arrangements or a fruit basket or a gift card for their favorite restaurant, if they enjoy flowers, a lovely bouquet.

I like to receive useful gifts like a gift card to somewhere I shop like Macy's or a place where I nosh, like Starbucks or Whole Foods. Gift cards are very 21st century but they've become one of my favorite gifts.

Jewelry is always a welcome gift too. I'm enough of a woman to love that.

What do you like in the gift giving and receiving department.
 

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I like to give things that will be liked of course, but things that the person might deny themselves as impractical.

To be received; fragrance, gift cards, something impractical.
 
Most of the people on my gift list are foodies, so I usually give them something from my larder that I have made: dried fruit, pickles, jams, preserves, pies, herb and soup mixes etc. what do I like to receive? Shalimar perfume (original not the new one,) or White Shoulders perfume for daytime. Also, any bright coloured clothing made of silk.
 

I'm not comfortable with receiving gifts. At all. Feels awkward and then I feel obligated to reciprocate and seeing as how I HATE shopping, it puts me in an even more awkward position. If I don't reciprocate, I look like an ungrateful **** and if I force myself to reciprocate, I have a thoroughly unenjoyable day ahead of me. So I discourage gifts. I've even finally trained my husband to not give in to his urge to give me things too often. Cheap date, I don't require much.
 
The gift giving thing has decreased quite a bit in my life, but on occasion I will give something I made to a special person, a quilt or a piece of jewelry I made or sometimes a gift card to show appreciation for some special help. I like to receive gifts too, anyone who knows me knows what I like... nice wine and chocolate!
 
I really don`t like to receive gifts either but I love to give them. If someone feels they HAVE to give me a gift,I like a nice bottle of wine or a gift card for a mani pedi. Hubby has always come up with great gift ideas for me so that`s always fun,but other than him,I really wish people wouldn`t give me gifts. When giving gifts,I can sometimes get really extravagant if I find something I know somebody would really love to have. (Example-when oldest grandson was a senior in high school,I purchased his two football jerseys and his helmet from his football coach (who,ironically is now his father in law lol) at a total cost of around $500.00,for him for Christmas. He was stunned,and thrilled. As it turns out,it`s pretty cool,because his brother wore them (not the helmet) when he played and now his next younger brother wears them and I`m sure the youngest brother will wear them as well. When I watch them play,it warms my heart to see them wearing them.
 
Debby said:
I'm not comfortable with receiving gifts. At all. Feels awkward and then I feel obligated to reciprocate and seeing as how I HATE shopping, it puts me in an even more awkward position. If I don't reciprocate, I look like an ungrateful **** and if I force myself to reciprocate, I have a thoroughly unenjoyable day ahead of me. So I discourage gifts. I've even finally trained my husband to not give in to his urge to give me things too often. Cheap date, I don't require much.
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Well that is the only reason I am not going to heap mounds of brightly wrapped gifts before you at Christmas! I am perfectly willing, mind you, to RECEIVE gifts!!
 
Gift-giving has tapered off, but I’m a practical gift giver, but I give good quality (never junk) and it’s always something I KNOW the person needs or wants. People always like what I give them.

I don’t like lazy gift givers – the people who run into a drugstore and grab whatever they see, putting no thought into it. I’d rather get a $5 ice-cream scoop from the dollar atore that I’ve mentioned I need.

Regifting…that gets touchy. I’ve done it a few times, but not as an “occasion” gift (Christmas. birthday). I’ll just say “Hey, someone gave me xxx and I already have several, so would you like it?” I think it’s kinda rude when someone pulls out something that they obviously don’t want and passes it off as a gift.

Gift cards are fine, but I haven’t given or received many of them.
 
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AZ Jim said:
Well that is the only reason I am not going to heap mounds of brightly wrapped gifts before you at Christmas! I am perfectly willing, mind you, to RECEIVE gifts!!
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Oh you are are you? Happy to receive gifts that is :).....hmmmm well, cross the shaver off the list. :confused: Now what? Ooh, I know! Beaded elastics to go with your man buns! You'd look fabulous Jim, a look that's you to a T!
 
Shalimar said:
Most of the people on my gift list are foodies, so I usually give them something from my larder that I have made: dried fruit, pickles, jams, preserves, pies, herb and soup mixes etc. what do I like to receive? Shalimar perfume (original not the new one,) or White Shoulders perfume for daytime. Also, any bright coloured clothing made of silk.
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That's a very nice thing to do Shalimar. I'll bet the recipients are grateful.

Silk clothing is just yummy and of course, it must be bright in color or else what's the point right? Besides, brights show off sandals better. I didn't know there was a "new" Shalimar perfume. Hmm. Too many years of making my own fragranges from essential oils, I guess.
 
RadishRose said:
I like to give things that will be liked of course, but things that the person might deny themselves as impractical.

To be received; fragrance, gift cards, something impractical.
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I agree totally. It's nicest to give someone somethig they will use and enjoy but something they wouldn't buy for themselves. I try to do this too. It makes the most successful gift I think.
 
I really only shop for my 8 year old granddaughter. The older grand kids we give cash in a card. I'm not much into giving formal gifts but if someone comes to my house I do like to give them about anything here they want. I give books, cloths, about anything on the walls, towels or linens, jewelry, purses, DVD movies, canned food, things out of the kitchen. I have too much stuff and it makes me happy to give it away. I have so much I have 2 storage sheds behind my house with plastic storage containers stacked in there with stuff. We've cleaned up a few estates for others and also people are always giving me stuff when they move or have someone die. I also get rid of things by having 2 yard sales a year and we give a lot to the thrift store in town. I guess these aren't all really gifts so, once again, I'm getting off on a tangent. Sorry. By the time I die I hope I've gotten rid of most of this stuff. Anyway, as gifts, my husband buys me lotto scratchers because he knows that's what I like. My kids give me gift cards to nice restaurants they know we wouldn't pay to go to on our own. :)
 
On an uplifting note, I have a friend who is very poor but an amazing seamstress/quilter. I have inherited my great grandmother's handmade quilts, crafted probably over a hundred years ago. She died in 1944 at 84. Naturally much of the patchwork is damaged. Anyway my friend asked to borrow them, ostensibly to show her quilting circle. These quilts were hand stitched and filled with lambs wool. Imagine my amazement when several months later, around Xmas time , my friend showed up with my quilts. Wow, I cried. Both the star and wheel quilts were refurbished, all the tattered, rotted fabric
pieces replaced with colour coordinated patches of cotton, and the outside edges rebound. Gorgeous, seamless transition from old work to new. Fantastic. Best gift ever. They now grace my wall. She refused compensation, so I contacted one of her friends and arranged for a gift card at her favourite quilt shop.
 
Shalimar said:
On an uplifting note, I have a friend who is very poor but an amazing seamstress/quilter. I have inherited my great grandmother's handmade quilts, crafted probably over a hundred years ago. She died in 1944 at 84. Naturally much of the patchwork is damaged. Anyway my friend asked to borrow them, ostensibly to show her quilting circle. These quilts were hand stitched and filled with lambs wool. Imagine my amazement when several months later, around Xmas time , my friend showed up with my quilts. Wow, I cried. Both the star and wheel quilts were refurbished, all the tattered, rotted fabric
pieces replaced with colour coordinated patches of cotton, and the outside edges rebound. Gorgeous, seamless transition from old work to new. Fantastic. Best gift ever. They now grace my wall. She refused compensation, so I contacted one of her friends and arranged for a gift card at her favourite quilt shop.
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Your friend gave you the best gift ever. I don't blame you for crying.
 
Shalimar said:
On an uplifting note, I have a friend who is very poor but an amazing seamstress/quilter. I have inherited my great grandmother's handmade quilts, crafted probably over a hundred years ago. She died in 1944 at 84. Naturally much of the patchwork is damaged. Anyway my friend asked to borrow them, ostensibly to show her quilting circle. These quilts were hand stitched and filled with lambs wool. Imagine my amazement when several months later, around Xmas time , my friend showed up with my quilts. Wow, I cried. Both the star and wheel quilts were refurbished, all the tattered, rotted fabric pieces replaced with colour coordinated patches of cotton, and the outside edges rebound. Gorgeous, seamless transition from old work to new. Fantastic. Best gift ever. They now grace my wall. She refused compensation, so I contacted one of her friends and arranged for a gift card at her favourite quilt shop.
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What a wonderful thoughtful friend you have! You are a very lucky lady. Good, dear friends come into our lives quite sparingly. I treasure mine very much.
 
Rocky said:
What a wonderful thoughtful friend you have! You are a very lucky lady. Good, dear friends come into our lives quite sparingly. I treasure mine very much.
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I agree. What a great thoughtful friend. Perhaps friendship is the best gift of all though you can't wrap it up and put a bow on it.
 
I have everything I need and except for a screened porch, everything I want. Don't want more things. When my kids ask what I want for Christmas or a birthday, I ask for flowers. What do I get? More STUFF. My teeny tiny place is 290sf. There's nowhere to put stuff. I don't want stuff. I want flowers. Do I get flowers? No.
 

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