Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Maps's avatar

I’ve discovered that gift-giving for the sake of it is just not my thing. I’m happy to give to people and organizations in need but just exchanging gifts with people who I know don’t need anything…seems kinda pointless…?

But my mom LOVES gift giving. It’s how she shows love. So I know better than to ask her to stop getting me gifts.

I focus on giving consumables. One year when I was a cashier at a fancy grocery store, I made my parents a basket of snacks popular with the Real Housewives crowd.

One year I baked apple cinnamon bread for everyone. This year I went to a local farmer’s market and got some unique food items I knew they would want to try.

I’ve bought a lot of Cameo videos over the last 3 years. Recipients don’t always know what to do with them or how to react but at least I know the money went straight to an artist or charity.

The high-effort sentimental gifts tend to go over well. A few years ago I spent a lot of time interviewing older family members about my great-grandmother. She was a legend and universally loved. I typed out all the interviews and put them in a small book and my whole family thought it was really special. My only

regret is I wish I had done more interviews.

My husband and I have a close friend whose Dad loves to tell stories and is getting up in years. We secretly bought his dad a Storyworth subscription and his dad wrote a story from his life every week for almost a year. Putting that book in our friend’s hands and seeing his face was pure magic. A top 10 life experience.

Expand full comment
Chris Fehr's avatar

Me and my wife often have gifted each other concert tickets. We go halfers on any required travel and we both have a good time together.

With Christmas, birthday and valentines coming close together before a little break to anniversary I do a bunch of shopping and then decide what goes for which holiday.

One last quirk. My wife doesn't seem to stress about who spent more but she counts the number of presents we each open trying to keep them even.

Pro trip if your wife's birthday is Feb 16 or really if a birthday is near a holiday DO NOT combine presents. I got this instruction very early on and have kept to it.

Expand full comment
6 more comments...

No posts