tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71246411140450267222024-02-18T22:23:06.748-06:00The Best Present EVERSometimes the Best Gift in the World Arrives in a Grocery BagSusaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977938723351021767noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-16152785203971798262009-06-26T13:27:00.001-05:002009-06-26T13:28:40.470-05:00Great ArticleIn keeping with our appreciation for the simple and homemade Gift...Simple GiftsSusaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977938723351021767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-30476003170244656822009-01-16T12:12:00.003-06:002009-01-16T12:21:50.863-06:00Beyond the WishlistAs always this past Christmas, members of my immediate family exchanged wishlists prior to Christmas. Because we are a particularly bookish family, most of us had Amazon.com wishlists that were dominated by books. My own included a number of volumes on my various interests: Narrative therapy, sustainable agriculture, vegetarian cooking, etc.My boyfriend decided to give me a book but picked Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-75296028427040295772009-01-06T19:52:00.001-06:002009-01-06T19:54:19.930-06:00The Holiday in ReviewNow that the holidays have come and gone, we'd love to hear how your gift exchanges went. What were your favorite gifts to give this year? To receive? What brilliant ideas did you have, and what bombed?Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-47558868014486393692008-12-17T10:19:00.005-06:002008-12-17T11:32:07.079-06:00On Graciousness and Gift ReceiptsFood writer Monica Bhide wrote a post on the Renegade Writer Blog this week about the art of being gracious.I love this post because it highlights the process of gift-giving and receiving, not the gift itself. It echoes what we've said in previous posts here about being a courteous recipient, note writing, and the way in which goods gifts demonstrate to recipients that they are truly known.If I Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-67693118318600399822008-12-12T23:50:00.002-06:002008-12-13T00:07:28.072-06:00When Gift Certificates Are a Good IdeaIn a previous post, we suggested the Target gift card as a good gift for a third tier person (i.e., someone you don't know particularly well but are obligated to give a gift to). But this is not the only gift exchange situation for which a gift card is a good option.Given the state of our economy at present, people are cutting back on all kinds of discretionary spending. Consider the fact that Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-55790739737579479582008-12-08T12:17:00.003-06:002008-12-08T12:47:05.764-06:00Necessity is the Mother of InventionI am stating the obvious when I say that we are in difficult economic times... and how we manage Christmas giving this year will inevitably be affected.This does not need to be a bad thing; in fact, we should greet this as an excuse to throw old patterns of pointless excess and boredom in our gift-giving out, and start new traditions. When you have less money to work with, it forces you to Susaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977938723351021767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-81353823388015801532008-12-07T21:42:00.006-06:002008-12-07T22:27:00.598-06:00How to Write a NoteThere is one incredibly simple, inexpensive way to make any gift much more meaningful: include a note. A well-written, heartfelt note is the difference between a so-so gift and a touching, memorable one. There are a number of approaches you can take. 1. Tell the recipient why you chose the gift.There's a scene in the holiday classic It's a Wonderful Life where Mary stands on the steps of a new Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-64567710920593922672008-12-03T16:09:00.003-06:002008-12-03T16:51:11.991-06:00ObligationsAerin's Cranberry Blog has a great post on the subject of obligation.Aerin raises good questions: Are you obligated to give a gift to someone who gives a gift to you? Are you obligated to give them a gift that is as expensive as the one you received?I really like Aerin's take on this subject (and not just because she gives this blog a shout out).I'd like to hear readers' thoughts on this. How do Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-71102427128200882362008-12-01T15:19:00.003-06:002008-12-01T15:25:27.469-06:00An Object LessonI have begun to crochet what are known as amigurumi, which is Japanese for "knitted stuffed toy." Most amigurumi nowadays are crocheted instead of knitted. I wanted to develop a skill that would allow me to make little home-made presents that would be unusual and fun. One of my first amigurumi gifts was a little pair of fishes to my friend Jen for her cats. She was delighted with them, and sentSusaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977938723351021767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-83714516987397574042008-11-29T19:22:00.003-06:002008-11-29T19:27:24.476-06:00When Greed PrevailsWal-Mart Employee Trampled to DeathPlease read the article, and consider if this is the way you want to remember Christmas; as a race for bargains. When shopping for gifts becomes a greedy mob activity, then it's time to stop.Susaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977938723351021767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-62228070748757571602008-11-29T16:34:00.005-06:002008-11-29T16:52:08.099-06:00On "Just" Giving a GiftI have a bone to pick with holiday retail advertising, and the retailer that's been especially bugging me the last couple of years is Sears, with the slogan, "Don't just give a gift. Grant a wish." Last year's TV commercials, for instance, had a Dad receiving not just a tool or a tool set, but a whole garage full of tools. The idea, of course, is that the prices are so low, you can afford more. Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-66985198930463721342008-11-23T19:09:00.004-06:002008-11-23T19:33:33.736-06:00Group GiftsI am turning 40 next month. This is a time of potential trauma for anyone, but a close circle of friends have already set me off on the best foot possible by making a Pre-emptive Birthday Strike.I have been celebrating birthdays with these "Sisters" of mine for about a decade now, and these celebrations have followed a predictable pattern; dinner, cards, and little presents. But this year they Susaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977938723351021767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-33377048277836011472008-11-17T15:33:00.002-06:002008-11-17T15:42:31.784-06:00Hierarchy of Needs: Part ThreeIn part three of our series on gift-giving and the hierarchy of needs, we'll talk about giving gifts as a way of fulfilling the need to both give and receive love, affection and a sense of belonging. All occasions are appropriate times to let the people in your life know they are loved. Even a poor choice lets the recipient know that someone cared enough to try. Gifts of belonging communicate to Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-77627502550765625742008-11-07T19:46:00.002-06:002008-11-07T19:59:38.096-06:00Opting OutWe've discussed the fact that gift giving is an essential social skill, and that it is unacceptable to opt out of the practice altogether. But there are some circumstances in which opting out of the gift exchange process is the best thing you can do. Since we started writing this blog, for instance, Susan and I have mutually agreed never to give each other gifts. Why, you ask? We considered the Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-59154701356680022332008-11-01T12:20:00.005-05:002008-11-01T12:53:43.045-05:00December BirthdaysHaving been born in early December, I have become accustomed to a certain lack of attention regarding my birthday. The holiday season, from Thanksgiving onward, has become such a morass of Christmas parties, special year-end events and office lunches/dinners, that to try and celebrate a birthday as well seems excessive. The holiday flood washes over the Birthday-ees as well as those friends andSusaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977938723351021767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-47686364048601529152008-10-21T09:05:00.005-05:002008-10-21T09:17:38.515-05:00Hierarchy of Needs: Part TwoEarlier this month, we raised the question, how do you give a gift that is truly needed, and we presented the hierarchy of needs.In this post, we'll address the first two layers: physiological and safety needs.Gifts that address physiological needs At the bottom of the pyramid lie the most basic needs, the necessities without which we cannot survive for long: food, water, shelter, clothing. Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-32640426672851283102008-10-06T09:57:00.005-05:002008-10-06T10:54:54.327-05:00Non-Materialistic Gifting: 3 StrategiesIn last month's post on the Essential Rules of Modern Gift Giving, asserted that gift giving is not a materialistic enterprise. Of course, anyone who watches TV within 2 months of the holidays might find it hard to remember this rule. Retail stores have done a wonderful job of convincing us to spend more and more with subtle tactics. Notice, for instance, if you shop online, that many sites have Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-31753404772113744762008-10-02T16:00:00.004-05:002008-10-02T16:06:43.196-05:00Hierarchy of Needs: Part OneWe all want to give a gift that is useful, something that is needed. But what is it that we really need? In general, Western civilization enjoys affluence and privilege that was unheard of a generation ago. While we may have fleeting thoughts that perhaps we need a bigger house, a better car, or a new cell phone, we instinctively know these are not “real” needs. So what are real needs? In 1943, Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-90787697448878605202008-09-25T19:34:00.002-05:002008-09-25T19:52:09.365-05:00A Word of AdviceDo not give a gift when you're feeling bitter against the recipient. Nothing good ever comes of that. Wait til later, if necessary.Don't write blog entries when you're feeling bitter either. ;)Susaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977938723351021767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-29600413095640083582008-09-22T16:22:00.001-05:002008-09-22T16:22:01.066-05:00Gift Story: The Dirt Track RaceNot long ago, we advocated the giving of selfless gifts. We suggested you consider spending time with the recipient doing something she likes and you hate, something you might never do otherwise.Well, I decided to take my own advice: I went with my boyfriend to a dirt track race.He was on cloud nine. Dirt track racing is one of his favorite things in the world, whereas my only experience with Susaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977938723351021767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-63349000966844290102008-09-18T12:54:00.003-05:002008-09-18T13:13:02.102-05:00Rules for RecipientsThe rudeness of gift recipients can be astonishing, sometimes. We both know someone who gets angry at the flowers her boyfriend brings her... because she doesn't like the ones he picks. He brings her flowers every other week, Just Because, and she raises her voice and complains that he doesn't listen to what she keeps telling him; that she can't stand daisies! Now, there are two issues at play Susaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977938723351021767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-74806292173411434962008-09-15T12:35:00.006-05:002008-09-15T12:52:08.703-05:00Rules of RegiftingSeveral sources have it that the word "regifting" entered popular culture in a 1995 Seinfeld episode involving a label maker. For whatever reason, regifting seems to have emerged as an actual CONCEPT in the last decade or so. So how has it become such a recognizable and increasingly accepted idea in our society? Perhaps the accumulation of stuff in our society has reached a tipping point; perhapsSusaniahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04977938723351021767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-47230096024907962972008-09-10T15:54:00.005-05:002008-09-10T16:00:11.104-05:00How to Give a Service GiftService gifts are gifts of your time and energy.They often cost little to nothing, and there is no shopping required. There is, however, a time investment required. So the trick with service gifts is to make sure that the service you're offering is something you won't mind spending some time doing; volunteering to do something you hate makes for a resentful gift, and the recipient won't thank youKathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-18264844492440610472008-09-08T21:37:00.004-05:002008-09-08T22:44:41.698-05:006 Essential Rules of Modern Gift-GivingSince the purpose of this blog is promote good gift-giving practices, this post outlines some core principles for modern gifting. Some are obvious. Some are things we seem to have lost sight of as a culture. In the spirit of cultivating gift-giving genius, we'd like your help in building this list. Got something to add? Drop us a comment.1. Gift-giving is not a materialistic enterprise.You Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124641114045026722.post-62815215930388250272008-09-03T10:48:00.004-05:002008-09-03T10:57:12.469-05:00How to Give Selfless GiftsA good principle to follow when selecting a gift for anyone, any occasion: Make it about the recipient. With that in mind, I will suggest a nearly foolproof strategy for ensuring gift satisfaction, especially when it comes to giving a gift to your significant other.Think of something he or she loves to and you can't stand. Then set aside your distaste and do whatever it is anyway. Go to that Kathrynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05111825731995800448noreply@blogger.com0