by William Bartholomew

Created on: March 06, 2009   Last Updated: March 10, 2009

While I am going to write my opinion in the Yes side of the equation I do not believe that either yes or no is the correct answer to this question. The answer to this question cannot simply be a yes or a no answer because the answer will vary depending on the individual receiving the gift and / or the individual giving the gift. For instance I am about to turn 40 this month yet I will not be even slightly disturbed if I get a bunch of "over the hill" gag gifts or cards. So if you answered a blanket "yes" then I'm proof that your answer is wrong.

On the other hand some people are very sensitive about their age and in that case a gag gift could be insulting. Another thing to consider is who is giving the gift and their relationship with the person that they are giving it to. In my case I know for a fact that I could give my best friend such a gag gift and he would not be offended and would appreciate the humor (because I did and he did). The reason I knew that I would not offend him is because I know him on a personal level. Now if I were to give the same gift to someone that I've maybe known for a few days or have known for many years but had very little interaction with than I could offend them simply because they may feel I don't "know them like that".

Basically some people may be offended because they may feel that you are being presumptuous about the depth of your relationship with them. One other thing to consider is the environment the gift is given in. A gift that is given when no one other than you and the recipient are present may be handled differently than if you gave the same gift in front of a group of people. The privately given gift (or in a small group of friends) may be laughed at but, if you gave the same gift in an office setting with a bunch of co-workers the recipient may get embarrassed and then be offended because you embarrassed them.

So unless you know for sure, it would be a wise move to stick to something sincere and avoid the gag gifts or jokes about someone's age. In my case, even if I know that it is okay to give the gag gift I also will include something that is sincere and from the heart. So you should consider how well you know someone and the environment in which they will receive your gift before you decide to be funny. In my opinion, if you feel the gag will get some laughs and you are fairly certain you wont offend the recipient then you should absolutely do it!

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