Gifts II: Practical or Wishful?

[jodi]

A follow-up to my earlier question, as I see that many of us tend to be practical in our wish lists, with a few little luxuries thrown in...
How do you buy for others - practically or "wishfully" (for lack of a better word)?

I tend to buy things that others have asked for, but given a choice between two wants, I will go for the more practical one. For example, if someone wanted both a household item and a CD, I would probably be more inclined to buy the household item that would see more use.
After watching the mountain of gifts my nieces and nephews received, as well as my own kids, I decided to start purchasing savings bonds instead. I have been doing this for about a year now. I also buy a small item - clothing or a book - to go with it so they have something to open, but I think 15 years from now, the gift will still be appreciated. I do this for my own kids too on their birthdays.

I would like to give more practical items for gifts, but I am a little afraid of how they will be received. For example, I would love to get certain food items, but I know others in my family would think that was strange. Do other's perceptions alter your gift-giving?

[pearlieq]

Ironically, I almost always give wishful gifts. If someone seems to really want something practical, great, but if I'm left to my own devices I will almost always buy a luxury/lesiure/entertainment item.

[JanH]

I guess I always try to buy from a wish list. My parents tend to be practical. So does my SIL. My brother hates being practical at Christmas so we don't expect that from him. My nephews are being raised really well when it comes to money--they have to pay for most things themselves--so I guess I like to be the spoiling aunt and give something they wish for. My inlaws--we go with whatever we can come up with. They are well off, but don't really spend a lot. So no list. We come up with practical things some years and fun things on others. My kids are spoiled--no question about it. We buy from the wish lists. Not much practical on them......Hubby hates getting too many luxury things from me, so I give some practical and a non practical item if I can find one for him.

[rduell]

We buy what is on the wish list, which usually is a mixture of practical and luxury.

[tinapbeana]

for other folks, i simply try to get someting i think they will really enjoy. it might be a want or a need, never know. in the past i've given my sister a new kitchen floor when she bought her house (wrapped up a tile from the hosuestore & put it under the tree!), given the inlaws a used refridgerator for deer, and this year they're getting a rental car and gas expenses so they can go visit family in chattanooga at the beginning of december. i guess these are all pratical, but they are items the people either couldn't or wouldn't buy from themselves.

my mom is the queen of this, though, and learned it from my grandpa. grandpa gave grandma a broom for CHristmas one year: wrapped up and under the tree and very obviously a broom. she was TICKED OFF! but, when she opened it, he'd taped $100 bills up and down the handle so my mom has done the same thing on occasion. when my sister was in high school she asked for nothing but money for christmas. so, my mom/parents gave her things like a box of band-aids with money taped to it, notebook paper with money taped to it, a case of canned corn with money taped to each can. it was too fun!!!

[fairy74]

I usually try to buy a 3 part gift, something small and practical (i.e. french dictionary for the french major, running socks for a runner), something semi-frivolous (gift card to Borders or some other place they like) and something small and completely frivolous (candy, ornaments, etc...) This tends to cover all the bases!

[tinapbeana]

with SO's past and present i have gone the route of a 3 part gift as well: something you need, something you want, and something i think you have to have. first Christmas present to DH was along this bent: a decent lighter to replace his stinking zippo (if you're gonna smoke don't use a zippo, you're just frying your brain w/ kerosene!), the back to the future trilogy (something he wanted), and a magic 8 ball (something i thought he had to have, it's an inside joke but we wound up getting married over it!).

[JanH]

Originally Posted by tinapbeana

my mom is the queen of this, though, and learned it from my grandpa. grandpa gave grandma a broom for CHristmas one year: wrapped up and under the tree and very obviously a broom. she was TICKED OFF! but, when she opened it, he'd taped $100 bills up and down the handle so my mom has done the same thing on occasion. when my sister was in high school she asked for nothing but money for christmas. so, my mom/parents gave her things like a box of band-aids with money taped to it, notebook paper with money taped to it, a case of canned corn with money taped to each can. it was too fun!!!

I'm going to do this for my DD. I have a couple of inexpensive things for her to open, but she needs money for a trip. So that's what she asked for. This is the coolest way of giving it to her! Thanks, Tina!

[jodi]

You reminded me of a gift I received from an older cousin when I was young. For my brothers and I, he taped a $10 bill to a block of wood - different shapes for all of us. Being typical kids, we were guessing for days what could be in those packages

[kealina]

we do a mix depending on who we are giving too... for the ones that can afford to buy their own practical and luxury items and don't want anything and are picky we will mostly be doing GC to places that they always go and spend money at anyways... for FIL it's a place he eats lunch at every week (at least once a week)... for my dad, it's the same except it's his fav chili place... for my mom it's a chinese food... i think they will enjoy as they are mostly practical to the bone...and can you tell we come from a family of eaters?

For my brother (tends towards wishful) we will give him some glow stuff (he likes to go out at night) and some car cleaning stuff because he will enjoy and use them... for the same reason we bought my MIL (completely wishful) her favorite perfume... we bought her some for her b-day maybe 2 years ago and she just loves it so much she used the whole bottle already... many of the other scented products she's been given sit in a basket in her bathroom but not this one....
we're still pondering everybody else depending on what we think they will enjoy... some will get gifts and some will get gift cards/cash...
lol... DH said we should wrap any cash/gift cards up with beans so they will rattle... lol... i think tina has started some holiday gift mischief...

not that i was completely innocent before... i hid money in a stamp/stationary set for my sis once... and once i wrapped up a piece of paper that said "now ask for your real gift" and gave it to someone at school... i had to convince her not to wait for x-mas and open it right away because i had her gift waiting in my bag... talk about fun...

I don't usually give gifts on Christmas or any other special events except birthdays. I don't give pratical or wishful gift most of the times when I know them well enought. I give things that have a meaning behind it or it's simply cute and that I'm 80% sure they'll like it.

[Gruntina]

If I know what the person wants or find something I know that person will enjoy, I would get them the wishful gift. I also think it depends on what that person is going through in their life and maybe need more than wishful items. If they need practical gift, I will add a small wishful gift on top of it. I think gifts are great when they can get something they can't afford to use their own money for pleasure.

[Ima saver]

i use to love to give a tiny gift and keep wrapping and rewrapping it in a larger, than larger, than larger box. I gave my dh a small diamond ring the first year we were married, and the box was huge when he started unwrapping!

[JanH]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

i use to love to give a tiny gift and keep wrapping and rewrapping it in a larger, than larger, than larger box. I gave my dh a small diamond ring the first year we were married, and the box was huge when he started unwrapping!

My DD does this and sometimes duct tapes the whole thing after that. Sometimes, she will use packing tape so the wrapping will show through.

[disneysteve]

We usually try to give practical gifts. If someone has a list, like a bridal registry, we'll tend to pick a practical item over a luxury item.

[PRICEPLUS]

My daughter asked for an apple peeler and a corer for her birthday! Why? I don't know ask her mom who wanted a toaster oven! I go for what the person wants regardless. I suppose there is a very practical element to the gift but yet a wistfullness to it as well!

[nanamom]

My DD tells me what I am allowed to give her, her DH and her kids. My DDIL lets me pick but will give comments when I ask. My DH will drop ideas usually after I have already gotton all his gifts. My DS2 doesn't know about the gift thing yet.

[frugalmomof1]

I almost always buy wishful gifts...I tend to think people will take care of the practical stuff on their own.