The Art Of Giving Great Gifts
We got everything we expected in our wedding gifts. Literally. It was no great surprise, of course, it was all stuff we had registered for. I’m not trying to say that registering for gifts is a bad idea. On the contrary, it’s prevented many ugly gifts or embarrassing multiples. (For example, I went to a friend’s wedding shower where she got an anodized cookware set. She was really happy about it, until she unwrapped two more of the same kind! It was very embarrassing for everyone there.)
So gift registries developed as a way to make sure you were giving the person something they actually wanted, and without worrying about getting something they already had. The problem is, that gift-giving has become too easy. We just go to the store, look at the list, pay for the item, and we’re done. There’s no thought put into it. Isn’t it the thought that counts?
This really hit home when my new husband and I were putting away all of our wedding gifts. The bowls and cookware and frames and silverware. But he couldn’t take his hands off the gift his cousin had given him. It was an Alvarez acoustic guitar.
My husband had been wanting one, and his cousin remembered. He had a close relationship with my husband and did not take the easy route. This meant a lot to my husband. Not only for the gift itself, but because he knows his cousin (like most men) hated to do shopping of any kind. He could have had his wife get something for us from the registry, but he went the extra mile to get a meaningful gift. And that guitar meant more to my husband than any gift he had been given in a long time.
At that moment I also realized I was dying to get my hands on a gift my sister gave me. It was a box full of scrapbooking stuff. Beautiful scrapbooking papers, rubber stamps, pretty ribbon, paper punches, and so much more. I could not wait until I got all this other stuff put away so I could start creating scrapbook pages of our wedding photos.
My sister know how much I loved scrapbooking and she took the time to get me something she knew I would enjoy a great deal. The point is that these gifts were personal, and the only ones we really treasured. And as much as I can appreciate a registry, if getting a few extra diaper pails at my baby shower means on the other hand I’ll get thoughtful gifts, I’ll take the risk.
So when you find yourself shopping for gifts next time, try giving some thought to the person and what they might enjoy. If you do not know them that well or you are not good at giving gifts in general, then definitely go with the registry. But if you have any sort of relationship with the person, try not to take the easy route. A little extra thought and time can mean the difference between an okay gift and one that’s truly memorable.
Tags: art of gift giving, gift registry