Comment on Is Anon the asshole?
paultimate14@lemmy.world 3 weeks agoThe modern western version of “gifts” is really about pushing over-consumption. If marketers cannot convince you to buy something yourself, they can try to convince someone else to buy it for you.
I’ve always felt that gifts should be tokens. Symbols of good will, reminders of the relationship. Consumable gifts are great, especially when shared with the giver. Alcohol is great for this, but there’s plenty more you can do. Small, inexpensive art prints or figurines.
I don’t want someone else to buy me something I woukd want to research myself. My parents gave me a “snow thrower” for Christmas a couple years ago. Its a relatively cheap, Ryobi 40v thing- I do not own anything else that uses that battery ecosystem. My step-dad loves his, and I am it is great for their 2-car driveway, but my driveway can probably fit like 10 cars in it, and I would have rather saved up for something nicer myself. Now i’m in this weird limbo where I feel socially obligated to use it for several years at least before I replace it with something I actually want.
My bets friend gifted me a few different bottles of mead to try. We tried them together. One bottle was drained by the end, with him drinking about as much as I did.
And it was a great evening, spent with a friend I rarely have the chance to. The mead was good (and what’s left of it still is; pacing myself here), but the quality time was something I can’t order online.
My sentiment exactly. Every Christmas I get more junk I don’t need, or stuff that I do need, but would have rather researched myself. I hate having a bunch of random knick-knacks and novelty items cluttering up my house, but I also feel guilty getting rid of gifts.
Don’t buy me gifts, don’t bring me souvenirs, I don’t need more novelty t-shirts.
If it came with batteries they make a Ryobi 40v inverter that’s not a bad, but I have a few other things that use those batteries.
ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I’m a school bus driver and I get tips from the kids (really, the parents) at Christmas and the end of the school year, usually in the form of gift cards. It’s still such a weird concept to me, but the thing I truly appreciate is hand-written (by the kids themselves) cards that express their appreciation and affection. It also saves me from having to go to Target (the most common gift card) and find something there that I actually want.