Cemetery of unnecessary gifts

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Recently, when I was cleaning the apartment, I found a dusty box on the closet, inside of which something rattled loudly. Opening it and clearing my throat from the dust, I shook the contents onto the carpet. It was a real graveyard of unnecessary gifts: a bunch of gizmos that, as they say, are neither for the mind nor for the heart. I tried to arrange them in chronological order and artificially evoke feelings of tenderness or something like that. But there was no emotion, and I only remembered disappointment and a feeling of awkwardness that arises every time someone handed me one of these objects, and strained smiles, and routine phrases:

"Thank you! Oh, what a cute frame!" ("Horror, what tastelessness!") "What is this of shells? A man? A frog? Ah, a dog!.." ("What state were they in the sea if they bought these monsters?") booty? Cool! " ("Hmm, a pimply teenager would be just right …") Etc.? and so on. Surely you also had a lot of cases of disappointment from gifts, or you yourself, giving something to someone, did not feel a joyful reaction in response. What gifts are "at risk" and how to protect your gift from a dusty box on the closet, read right now.

Holiday souvenirs

This is the largest group of gifts among those that you do not know where to put later. Endless symbols of the year: dogs, snakes, roosters of all colors and sizes, candles, Santa Clauses, as well as souvenir Easter eggs, small identical gifts to all women on March 8, etc., cheap and without a hint of taste or style.

In principle, gifts for colleagues shouldn't be too expensive. After all, this is just a sign of attention. Although it is entirely within your power to extend the life of this sign due to functionality or original appearance.

Gift, live long! If you don't want your gift to go to the trash can immediately after the new year, give your colleagues a beautiful Christmas ball, which they can hang at home on a Christmas tree or at work on some nearby plant. This ball will be useful to them next year as well. A good option if you need to gift a large team would be a pocket calendar presented to each colleague with a common photo of your friendly community. If you decide to give souvenirs - give preference to small and graceful ones, rather than large and cheap ones.

Hello from vacation

The worst souvenirs brought back from a seaside vacation are shell crafts. Usually they are completely tasteless, lurid and have no artistic value. Different-sized cobblestones that "were so beautiful, so beautiful" when they lay, washed by a wave, among other multi-colored stones, are also touching. And now, dry and uninteresting, they are at best suitable for decorating a garden, if you have one.

The thing is that on vacation, a vacationer, as a rule, is in some euphoria from everything around him, and besides, he wants to take with him a piece of pleasant vacation reality and share it with relatives and friends. Relatives and friends usually do not share this enthusiasm.

Gift, live long! Stamped seashell souvenirs - away! Cobblestones - Away! But pretty fridge magnets with views of the country you've visited are fine. A shamanic mask bought in Africa may be stylish, but it is unlikely that your superstitious aunt will like it, who will not be able to sleep peacefully in a room next to such a gift. But she will surely like a scarf with bright African patterns. In general, when buying any souvenir, try to imagine at least for a second the person to whom you will give it. And, most likely, your intuition will not let you down.

Hand-made, or a handmade gift

This is a very dangerous kind of gift for both the giver and the gifted one. The first runs the risk of not getting the desired enthusiastic reaction to his creation, over which he may have pored for weeks or even months. And the second may have a melancholy heart from the realization that now you have to wear this unfashionable sweater knitted by your grandmother, or hang on the wall a picture that does not fit into the interior at all, drawn by an artist friend.

Gift, live long! Hand-made gifts are best given to those people who do needlework themselves and can understand how much mental and physical strength is invested in the process. In addition, we must not forget that the gift must match the style of the person being presented, if it is knitted or sewn items or accessories, and fit into the interior of his house, if it is, for example, a picture, vase, napkin or tablecloth. Your sister or friend will most likely like a bright, beaded purse, your grandmother - an eyeglass case embroidered with a cross according to the pattern, your mother - a pillow that matches the color of the sofa, etc.

A predictable gift

If you choose between a banal, predictable gift and one that will be thrown into a landfill, then it is better, of course, to choose a banal one. A can of good coffee is always better than an unnecessary souvenir. But sometimes the predictable gifts given from year to year start to get annoying.

Women are often presented with tights, pans, shampoos, shower gels and other perfumes. Among men's gifts, socks are in the first place, panties and shaving accessories are shared second, handkerchiefs and toilet waters are third. All of us, both men and women, were given a mug at least once in our lives.

Gift, live long! If you don’t know what to give, but don’t want your shower gel to get lost among several others, first find out if the person you are going to give a gift to is using it at all. If yes, then try to ensure that your predictable gift is still exclusive, rare, not cheap, in unusual packaging, etc. You can do the same with other gifts. Tights - not just black, but with gold stripes, for an evening out. Handkerchief - expensive, stylish, with beautiful embroidery, in a special box. Surprise even where they don't expect it from you!

Never end up in the graveyard of unnecessary gifts

Money. Sometimes they really are the best gift. For example, at a wedding. The newlyweds, having put all the donated banknotes in an even column, will be able to buy something large and expensive themselves. Or go on a honeymoon trip. Money is also worth giving if the birthday person now needs it more than anything else, or if you want to give something serious, but are afraid not to please, or if the birthday person cannot be pleased at all. The money is best invested in a beautiful postcard specially designed for such a gift.

But the most important thing, no matter how trite it sounds, is that the gift should be chosen with soul and given from the bottom of the heart. Then, whatever you give, your loved one, friend, colleague or relative will gladly accept the gift and say a huge human thank you!

Trubacheva Irina

25.01.2006