by Secre

Created on: December 28, 2010

Whether a gift is something which you wanted or you didn’t, the one thing which you always need to remember is that the person who has given it to you meant well. From when we were very little we all had presents from one aunt or another which we could see no point in, or were the opposite of what we really wanted. A pair of socks, a knitted jumper, or the worst of all, something for school. But the one thing most of us were taught is that the gift itself is an expression of kindness, and the only thing to do is to smile nicely, thank them kindly and write a courteous thank you card after. I’ve often heard it said that all the lessons that we need to truly learn we are taught in kindergarten, and this truly is one of those lessons.

A gift can often be something that means something to the giver, but means little or nothing to you. It can be something that the giver would like to be given, and they have therefore assumed that you would like it too. It can be given because they don’t really know what you would like, or because they don’t have the time or money to get anything better. Whatever the reasoning behind the gift, you have to consider and accept that they have done the best they can. They didn’t have to get you a gift, and they certainly didn’t have to spend time and money on the gift. The gift itself needs to be seen for what it is, and it is an expression of love and consideration to you. The least you can do is show the same back.

If you really dislike a gift then you can always give it to someone else later, sell it or donate it to a charity sale. Whether you like it or not, there will always be someone who will enjoy it.  The present giver doesn’t need to know that the gift has gone to a new home, and you will have put it to good use.  When you get that pink item of clothing that is garish and looks more like a nightgown, why not give it to a young girl somewhere as a nightgown? When you get that bottle of whiskey that you know you will never drink, surely your father or your vicar would appreciate it far more? In this you are spreading the holiday cheer. The present giver had your best wishes at heart, and you need to recognise that, but at the same time you’ve just brightened someone’s day by the re-giving of it.

Whatever we are given and whatever we feel about it the main thing we need to remember is both the intentions and the feelings of the giver. Their intentions were good,

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