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Santa’s Swag

Posted by AdamT | Filed under Culture

I decided to follow up the lighter post of a few days ago with a list of gifts and observations that I have compiled in the last year or two of gift giving.  Currently my wife and I are limited on financial resources so most gifts here will put more emphasis on the thought process and be under $40 (my how times have changed).

Three notes about giving gifts that apply to close relatives and office workers alike:

1. Kosher  - It is imperative that you consider the person whom you are giving the gift.  Do they have allergies, what are their styles, what do they enjoy.  I find many things cool (especially tech gifts) but they would be horrible gifts to some other people (especially to anyone over 50).  Once again, it depends on what the recipient enjoys and can use, not what you like or think is cool or useful. 
2. Warmth - you need to add warmth (personality) to your gifts. For example, one way to acheive warmth is to make the gift relating to a local feature (barring memorabilia and momentos).  For example, Columbus loves Graeters ice cream.  It is almost as valid a house guest gift as wine these days.  More importantly, it is local and thus adds character (to someone who is not living in Columbus). Be sure to communicate the locality.  Most of the time the warmth of the gift is communicated in the note (see last comment in post).
3. Food is a Default - American currently like, and get, alot of food and kitchen related gifts.  It is not bad to give, but know that if the person is not a normal american, the gift will be seen as impersonal - best to avoid fruit baskets and assorted chocolates.  I don’t add tech because it is too expensive for me.

The generic gifts that are always in, and have been in since the 1800’s, are expendable luxury items.

• Tea - If you have a tea drinker, then this is a sure bet.  Be sure they don’t drink only herbals. 
• Coffee - lots of local roasters out there, be creative and avoid defaulting to Starbucks
• Chocolate - a big hit, but you have to know what kind they like - some like it cheap
• Tobacco - I am not in the know here; do not give to anyone who is a connoisseur
• Candles - Lots of local makers, I personally love AI ROOT
• Cheese - Yet again a sure bet for a cheesehead - stay with fine Gruyere, fine Cheddar, fine Parmesan…
• Luxury Foods… Omaha Steaks, Harry & David Pears, Local Ice Cream (they pack on dry ice)

Here are a few examples of personal gifts we came up with:

• My mother in law loves gardening. FoxGloves, Unique Bulbs/Seeds (if she can plant them in January), a unique garden tool - there is alot of helpful and unique tools online.  Try not to be too obliging, so no live plants for garden.
• My mother uses house plants (flowering and non-flowering).Alot of amazing live plants are available for the green thumb: check out the plethora of online nurseries who offer everything from Kaffir lime plants to Carnivorous plants.  Best of all they will mail.  Again consider if they can keep the plant in the climate they live in, or any allergies that might be present.
• My sister is a tea drinker.  We went to www.teamerchants.com and bought her a Darjeeling first flush, which is my favorite tea.  This does not violate the principle, because she loves tea too.
• My dad deals with alot of neck and back pain.  We got him a microwavable neck wrap.  There are some really great ones out there.
• My brother is a big reader.  We found out what authors he likes and bought him a book we knew he did not have from one of those authors.  This communicated effort, which is equal to thought.

The key to all of this is to write a note that is personal and communicates why you bought the gift in an indirect way - show them you were thinking about them.  Ignorance is excusable, thoughtlessness is not.

Sorry, I cannot help you decide what to get a spouse.  In that case both ignorance and thoughtlessness are inexcusable.

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Tags: christmas, courtesy, gifts, Ideas