by Mark Mukasa

Created on: December 30, 2010

Every now and again one of our loved ones, close friends or co-workers decides to give us a present out of the kindness of their hearts. Around Christmas time this changes from being merely something that we do for each other from time to time, into being a rigid age old expectation that makes us obliged to give our friends, families or co-workers a present, or in some cases presents, for the season.

Unfortunately, sometimes the presents that we receive do not live up to our expectations. Some of us would want a Playstation 3 or the latest Jimmy Choo shoes, but instead we receive an ugly, cheap bracelet that we wouldn’t be caught dead in if we went outside in public. Sometimes the presents that we receive not only do not live up to our expectations, but reek of last minute deliberation or are so cheap that it almost appears that we were a mere afterthought; not important or close enough to put some in-depth thought into giving us a better and more memorable gift.

So what do we do? The present obviously sucks, but we are under an unspoken rule that frowns upon throwing away the gifts that we receive. So in the end we are unfortunately stuck with them. So what do we do?

If the intention is good and the person did it out of the kindness of their heart, then I believe that we should keep them. Focus should not be on the fact that the gift is dreadful, but rather on the fact that the gift was delivered with kindness. In this sense the gift stems more from the kind thought rather than the material object itself.

Sure, the gift was lame and possibly embarrassing to own (i.e. a Duran Duran album), but we should think about it from the gift giver’s perspective: they took their time and (in most circumstances) money to value you enough to give you something. Instead of viewing the whole ordeal as a disaster, try to think of it as just a slight mistake in judgment. Sure, you got a book that you have already read instead of an iPhone Touch. Yes, you may have received ‘Avatar’ on DVD even though you hate that film. So what? It is the thought that counts. Someone who although was mistaken, thought that the gift would make a great present for you. So instead of throwing it away or returning it to the store where it was bought, why not keep it as a memento of that person’s kindness? The old adage that “it’s the thought that counts” was not invented for any old reason; it certainly rings true, especially during Christmas.

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