What Makes A Good Gift?

So about this time last year I was getting my gift-giving act together. I managed to still give some crap-tacular gifts, but I was definitely refining my approach: I would buy the gifts online this year and avoid the absolute circus of the local malls and stores--in this regard, I did well. I had all of my shopping done earlyish (by more than a week or so) and I had all the presents under the tree by Christmas Morning.

This year, I think I got the formula down-pat. So I give you my General Guidelines for Getting Good Gifts:

1. The gift should be something that the gift giver wants for himself/herself. This ensures that a gift was acquired with consideration and forethought. When I was rationalizing gifts, I constantly thought, "Would I want this for myself?" It prevented me from getting some truly useless gifts, like last year's Magnet Desk Toy. The guideline also ensures that the gift is representative of the giver--when the recipient gets the gift and uses it or otherwise enjoys it, they will be sharing in something that the gift giver would also use or otherwise enjoy.

2. The gift should be something that the recipient would want or use for himself/herself. This ensures that a gift will not spend undue time in its box in a cupboard, or collect dust high-up on a shelf somewhere. The rule will prevent awkward phone conversations: "How did you like your salad-tosser?" "Oh, it was nice, thanks."

3. The gift should be something that the recipient would not easily obtain on his/her own. The reasons for the recipient not obtaining the gift on their own can be as simple as "it would be too extravagant a purchase to justify spending the money" or as complicated as "it'd be nice, but I'm quite happy with..." or something like "the recipient wouldn't be able to afford it due to their income situation". Whatever the case, this rule ensures that it is truly a gift, not just a glorified stocking-stuffer.

There we have it, my three General Guidelines to Getting Good Gifts. Participating in the consumerism of Christmas is meaningless unless there's a good reason for it, and this year, with these rules, I am genuinely proud of the gifts I've gotten for people.

I feel that I have given them parts of myself, that on Christmas Morning they will unwrap their presents and find bits of me.