Published in The Post-Star (G1)
12/15/06
If you've already finished your holiday shopping, give yourself a pat on the back and shut up. The procrastinators among us don't want to hear about it.
If you haven't started yet, give yourself a kick in the rear and get going! You've got 10 DAYS left -- but don't panic. We have a few ideas to help you dash through your shopping list.
Be creative
You don't have to buy Hallmark's products, but you can borrow their ideas. Valerie Pillow, a Hallmark master illustrator, offers these suggestions for creative holiday gift-giving:
Personalize. Pause to think about what the person you're shopping for really likes. Don't get them a generic gift if you have any clues about their hobbies or tastes. Maybe you've noticed that they tend to drink tea instead of coffee, for example. Even if that teapot isn't precisely what they wanted, it will show them that they were more than just another name on your list.
Bundle. Maybe you couldn't think of anything besides a gift certificate to give them, but it doesn't have to look boring under the tree. If you're treating them to the spa, fill a pretty ceramic bowl with bath beads (Hallmark has snowflake-shaped bath flakes) and put a stuffed snowman in the "tub," holding the card. For movie gift certificates, fill a bowl with popped popcorn and hide your card in the middle with a few bags of candy and microwave popcorn.
Make it fun. Instead of traditional gift tags, try photos. Find snapshots of yourself and the recipient, and use a photocopier to turn them into paper images. Cut out the faces and attach them to the package, labeled "from" and "to."
Be polite
Gift-giving can stir up some sticky social situations if you're not careful. Here's some advice from Elizabeth Howell of the Emily Post Institute in Burlington, Vt., which fields a lot of calls about "gifting etiquette" at this time of year.
Someone gives you a gift that you really hate.
Join the club.
"Everybody seems to get one gift each year that's just ridiculous or horrible -- the tchotchke, the statuette, or an item of clothing that you would never put on your body," said Howell.
First, say "thank you." She recommends couching your criticism in a few words of praise. Find something you actually like about the gift -- maybe you hate that garish chenille-and-sequins sweater that Grandma gave you, but you don't mind the color, for example.
"You might want to say, 'It was so nice of you, and I really like the color, but the style doesn't really fit my wardrobe. Would you mind terribly if I returned it?' " she suggested.
Above all: "Don't lie. Honesty is one of the basic principles of etiquette."
You spent far less (or more) on their gift than they did on yours.
Come on now, is that really what Christmas is all about?
"Gifting should not be an in-kind reciprocation. It's an expression of appreciation," Howell said. "You don't need to put a dollar amount on the value of the gift."
You belong to a religion that doesn't celebrate Christmas, and someone gives you a Christmas present.
Odds are slim that they actually intended to offend you.
"Just accept it and move on," Howell said. "Remember that it's a gift that's given in celebration of the holiday season, and in appreciation of the relationship that person has with you."
Be prepared
If it hasn't happened to you yet, it will. A friend, co-worker, or distant relative hands you a present, and you realize with a jolt of horror that they weren't on your shopping list. You could seize the chance to get rid of that ugly paperweight on your desk, but wouldn't it be better to plan ahead? Here are a few ideas to have on hand:
--Ceramic mugs, filled with packets of gourmet hot cocoa, tea or coffee. (No, it's not OK to rinse out the mug you used this morning and stick a bow on it!) Wrap the mug in cellophane, and tie on a holiday ornament for a decorative touch.
--A case of your favorite wine, and a couple of wine gift bags. Even if you don't need to grab a bottle for a last-minute gift, you can use it for a holiday party ... or just consider it a present to yourself.
--Chocolate. Stuff a miniature stocking with wrapped truffles, or have a few boxes of gourmet chocolates on hand. Tie them up with festive ribbon so you won't risk nibbling away your gift cache.
--If all else fails, go with the paperweight. They probably got you a fruitcake, anyway.
(sidebar)
Charitable donations
Save on wrapping materials, and save a life while you're at it. The "gift catalogs" of these nonprofit humanitarian organizations include everything from water buffaloes to warm blankets. Don't worry, you won't have to pay shipping on the water buffalo -- it goes straight to a needy rice farmer somewhere in Asia, and you'll get a card to let your loved one know about the donation in their honor.
Heifer Project: www.heifer.org
Oxfam America: www.oxfamamerica.org
Unicef: www.unicefusa.org
World Vision: www.worldvision.org
Want something tangible to put under the tree, without sacrificing your social conscience? Check out Oxfam's links to online stores that offer fair-trade handicrafts, coffee and gourmet foods: www.oxfamamerica.org/whatyoucando/gift_center
No comments:
Post a Comment