This is the season of gifting, with Christmas just having been celebrated (though as explained in one of my earlier blogs, Christmas festivities continue for 12 days and 5th January is actually the last day of Christmas season ) and New Year spirit very much in the air. As it’s said, gifting is an art; in fact, it’s an art for both – the giver as well as receiver. What you gift is important, but how it is received by the receiver is even more important.
Just read an interesting article on what the receiver says and what he actually means when he receives a gift not as per his/her expectations. When someone received a grinder, while thanking the giver profusely, in her heart the receivers felt like grinding the giver. A gold ring (normally a precious gift and sure shot winner when a man gifts it to his beloved) made the lady blush, though in her heart she was cursing her lover for delaying this gift so much! The article wittily deals with gifts of various kinds and reaction of the receivers. In the end I Phone emerged as a great gifting idea on which the reaction and thought of the receiver were fully aligned.
I am privy to gifting related goof ups made by both givers as well as receivers. A gift like watch, pen or Bluetooth speaker invariably leads to duplication at the receiver’s end, resulting in further gifting! A piece of clothing can lead to size and taste mismatch issues. Shopping vouchers may force the receiver to go to the particular store much against his/her liking, while gift cards can ruin shopping experience when retailers refuse the card or give excuse of the card reading machine not working. Cash is king, but people could find themselves in uncomfortable zone while giving or accepting cash! Of course, I also came through a news item where a marriage invitation was sent on a cloth handkerchief (Hanky to be used in future), only blessings were solicited as gifts and as return gift, all the guests were presented with cloth bags having two saplings – neem and pipal – with full process on the paper on how to plant the saplings and care them to grow into trees! Very thoughtful gifting indeed!
Some of us seem to have overcome this dilemma at least as far gifting for occasions like marriage and birthday are concerned. It’s stated on the invite itself that gifts in the form of blessings will only be accepted.
Let in this new year, we gift everlasting gift of love, compassion, piety and kindness to fellow human beings as these gifts neither require any elaborate planning nor entail the risk of being sneered at by the receiver!
Happy 2020!
Arvind Arya blog 