Gifts or Money?

[Lamb]

For birthdays, showers, wedding, retirements, do you prefer to give Gifts or do you give money?

 

[psalms 91]

For me gifts

 

[Rens]

The kids get gifts, the rest gets a cheap bunch of flowers or chocolate if they're lucky and they give me money. Perfect!!

 

[psalms 91]

lol messy

 

[MoreCoffee]

For birthdays, showers, wedding, retirements, do you prefer to give Gifts or do you give money?

It was my birthday in March, please send money

 

[MoreCoffee]

The kids get gifts, the rest gets a cheap bunch of flowers or chocolate if they're lucky and they give me money. Perfect!!

An excellent arrangement. The flowers lull them into believing that you like them and the money more than compensates for any costs involved in acquiring them :smirk:

 

[Lamb]

I hate shopping so I don't like having to go out and hunt for a gift. Money seems so impersonal but gift cards are fun!

 

[psalms 91]

I like shopping but only if I know what i want

 

[ValleyGal]

Gift giving is an art form on its way to extinction, sadly.

Even as a child, I do my best to buy just the right thing that I think the recipient would like but likely would not buy for themselves. Or I make gifts myself. Then the best part is to watch them as they open it to see if they liked it. Most often, I was rewarded with their joy, although sometimes I figured I'd have to do better next time. I like shopping for others (when I have the money to do so), or making gifts.

If we just give money, it's like, why bother when we can just go out and buy whatever we need since the same amount is likely to come right back to us on the next gift-giving day.

 

[psalms 91]

Gifts for me are usually more practical as income is limited

 

[tango]

I hate shopping so I don't like having to go out and hunt for a gift. Money seems so impersonal but gift cards are fun!

I never buy gift cards on principal. I think they are a huge con trick. I don't give money either as it seems very impersonal, but sometimes it's a challenge finding something suitable. But as a photographer I've usually got something I can work with.

 

[ValleyGal]

Gifts for me are usually more practical as income is limited

Bill, do you ever make gifts. Those times when we are financially uncertain, we make gifts. One year, we made vanilla - a bottle of cheap vodka, a pound of vanilla beans, and seal-able bottles (you can get a dozen for less than $10), and a big glass jar to infuse in.... use coffee filters to filter out the pods and seeds, and decorate with raffia. A dozen gifts for a few dollars a bottle. One year, I bought tube socks, rice, and buttons, and made sock snowmen, decorating each for the person I was giving it to. Cheap as all get-out, and oddly, people are far more receptive and appreciative when I give home-made gifts.

I'm considering trying ceramics for Christmas this year.

 

[psalms 91]

Bill, do you ever make gifts. Those times when we are financially uncertain, we make gifts. One year, we made vanilla - a bottle of cheap vodka, a pound of vanilla beans, and seal-able bottles (you can get a dozen for less than $10), and a big glass jar to infuse in.... use coffee filters to filter out the pods and seeds, and decorate with raffia. A dozen gifts for a few dollars a bottle. One year, I bought tube socks, rice, and buttons, and made sock snowmen, decorating each for the person I was giving it to. Cheap as all get-out, and oddly, people are far more receptive and appreciative when I give home-made gifts.

I'm considering trying ceramics for Christmas this year.

It is good to be creative, for me it is baking cookies, or a cake. I do give those kind of things

 

[Lamb]

I love making things but when my hard efforts get ruined without consideration of the many hours put into my work, well, it crushes me. I've learned to not give too many crafts but art is okay since I'm an artist. People like getting portraits of their pets!

 

[psalms 91]

That is a great talent

 

[Rens]

Gift giving is an art form on its way to extinction, sadly.

Even as a child, I do my best to buy just the right thing that I think the recipient would like but likely would not buy for themselves. Or I make gifts myself. Then the best part is to watch them as they open it to see if they liked it. Most often, I was rewarded with their joy, although sometimes I figured I'd have to do better next time. I like shopping for others (when I have the money to do so), or making gifts.

If we just give money, it's like, why bother when we can just go out and buy whatever we need since the same amount is likely to come right back to us on the next gift-giving day.

Lol as a child I once bought flowers for my mom from my own money, the cheapest, they were 2,5 euro. She never got such a tiny bunch of flowers in her life. My brother bought her a big bottle of perfume, because he couldn't understand how such a huge bottle could be so cheap. It turned out to be lavender hahahahahahaha. Ungrateful kids.

 

[Josiah]

For birthdays, showers, wedding, retirements, do you prefer to give Gifts or do you give money?

I'm not real big on getting gifts at all.....

MONEY would be the least welcomed gift.... Variation would be a gift card to a fave restaurant or maybe tickets to a play or concert or movie or baseball game, that I might well appreciate, especially if its to a play I'd likely miss but really enjoy, etc. Or a new restaurant that I'd really like.

What I tend to appreciate is when people found something that they know will be appreciated by me. Books for example. Sometimes, friends or family hear of or read a book they know I would like and buy me a nice hard copy. Or maybe something they find while on a trip.... something maybe I'm unaware of BUT is just the thing that I'd really like.

For our wedding, we got LOTS of gifts. My beloved created a "wish list" at a couple of online sites, most pretty practical things, housekeeping stuff. Nearly all got things from there. But a few gave us gift cards to one of the stores. Very few actually came to the wedding with presents. We did get a LOT of very helpful and nice things. Our home is filled with such - and I do appreciate how this gave us a solid start with all the "stuff" couples tend to have (and think they need). My fave: someone gave us the most comfy sheets I've ever experienced - absolutely LOVE 'em!

It's PERFECTLY WELCOME to simply send a card. A real card..... made of paper....... personally selected with me in mind.



- Josiah