What would you rather receive and give as a present?

[iff]

With the annual big presents day next month,

 

With the 1st item, there is a possibility that you won't like the item 

 

I do like 

[Philip027]

Cash.  I rarely want stuff and I hate it when people are pressuring me at Xmas time to tell them what I want.  It takes something that is supposed to be a favor to me and turns it into a bother, because I then have to go out of my way to figure out something I maybe kinda could use when clearly I must not need it badly enough to have been able to think of it right away.

 

I've been told before that I'm very hard to gift for, and I'm just sitting there like "...why should that be my problem, though?"  (And yes, I do tell them to just send money if they absolutely must send something, but for whatever reason people seem to dislike doing that.  Again, that sounds like a "you" problem...)

 

As for gifting other people, all I care about is that it's something they actually want.  Doesn't matter to me if it's cash or something more material.  If it's something they don't want, then it's just a waste on my part and a potential awkward moment for us both.  If I don't know what they want and they've never said/hinted at anything, then cash simply makes the most sense, so they can get something for themselves that they want.

[bare_trees]

I would rather people tell me what they want and ask me what I want.  I hate the awkwardness of people trying to pretend that they got what they wanted when they didn't, and sometimes I don't pretend as well as I'd like to.  But my preference for years has been to just not do Christmas that way at all.  I'd rather see it as a time to get family together and have a nice meal and maybe enjoy some rare cold weather.  But that's an unpopular opinion.

[Starry Sky]

I’d rather both give and get specific items. That way, both parties know that the gift was not a waste. My brother and I have always chosen an item that we want for Christmas and bought it for each other and it never makes the gift any less special. 
 

I do like surprise gifts too because it find it special that someone either saw an item and thought of me or went out of their way to look for something they thought I’d like. Sometimes I don’t like the gift, though, and I feel bad about it. I never feel very confident in my gift giving skills, but if I know the person very well, I like to get them surprise gifts. I’ll normally make a mental note when someone mentions items they like, want, or even collect so I have guidance on that

[kelico]

I'm one of those "it's the thought that counts" people, so I like getting things that someone picks out for me, even if it's not something I specifically asked for. Same for giving gifts to other people. I love surprising people...I tend to get something they want anyway, but it's not like they asked me for it.

[Guest]

Receiving I would rather not, at all, unless they were insistent, and then only if it was something I genuinely needed. I don't like having things I don't want or have a need for, and generally speaking I don't have things I don't need (unless it's dice, I love dice, but I do use some of them).

 

Giving, I would rather be told what someone would like, even if it is a list I can choose from, because I cannot choose things for people because if it were reversed I would rather nothing, and thus I am unable to "put myself in their shoes".

[blunose2772]

I just want cash plain and simple. I already buy everything I want/need for myself and I can't pay my bills with a gift card. And just tell me what you want. Yes it ruins the suprise but that way I know you'll like it. 

[daveb]

I like the idea of wishlists, where you can pick from things the person wants and you can sort of surprise them as they won't know which specific things you got them. And you can be sure you will get something you did want, too.

 

I do like the idea of picking just the right gift without having a wishlist or anything to go by, but that can be tricky. I feel like I am not good at picking good gifts like that for other people, but I have loved it when I have received such gifts.

[Guest]

Receiving gifts makes me feel uncomfortable, but if someone insists I'd rather tell them what to get so it doesn't go to waste. I don't mind giving but would prefer they tell me what to get. 

[Blue eyes white dragon]

The only time I'm not interested in the gift if it's just given with care because they are forced to give a gift (like it's a work event for example) and it's very much of a gift where they don't care what they give so it's something like "here is this notebook because you are girl so you must like to journal, idrk"

 

I love to give gifts that actual things, not just money unless I have to be forced to

[Guest]

Give. I just love watching people's faces light up, technically it's both? I like giving and seeing someone happy is receiving. Irish logic right there 😂 

 

Whatever I get I don't mind as its the thought that counts but I tend to give money, only because vouchers here at least if you don't use the full amount you lose them.

[Guest]

Im a three to one giver to receiver. It is good to get a gift every now and then.😂

[Ceebs]

Receiving... depends who it's from. I like that my partner chooses fairly random and silly or oddly specific things that he knows I'll love and appreciate. It's also nice if it's something I've mentioned I'd like. In either case, I don't want anything expensive. With my family, I'd much prefer money. 
 

When giving presents, I'd usually rather get (or perhaps make or do) something special and meaningful than give cash. Not that I can afford to buy anything or give cash these days, but.

[everywhere and nowhere]

I don't like unexpected gifts, often they turn out to be something I don't like / don't need. (Example: some family members, knowing what a teamaniac I am, have given me mugs with tea infusers. Except that I can't use this kind of infuser! The lid is so hot that I'm unable to touch it, the same for the infuser itself.)

Typically my mom gives me money for the gifts I want and I order them myself, but then they all must appear under the Christmas tree.

[Pack rat]

I picked the first option for both. Even if someone gave me something I didn’t really want i would like it because it was from them, and they cared enough to put some effort into it. 
 

4 hours ago, Arna Sou said:

I don't like having things I don't want or have a need for,

What about something you can do instead of something you can have? Like a trip to a museum or a zoo or something?

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Pack-rat said:

What about something you can do instead of something you can have? Like a trip to a museum or a zoo or something?

That I would be more than happy with, I love both of those.

[Epitaph]

I'm not a gift getting person, but I just tell people to make it cash usually. I can either pick what to use it for, or just get myself some extra stuff I needed, like food for the month.

 

If it was giving something? Preferably something that I made for them. I think I'm at my best when I'm focused on making something for somebody whom I care about. I usually have decent enough knowledge of friends that I know what to make that'll be something special.

[iff]

@iff

 

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iff, Census Forum Moderator