TanyaL

Now that it is almost time to open gifts are you dreading to find gifts from people you truly love, but gifts that you don't want at all? I am frequently given knick-knacks that are meant to sit upon my shelves or tables and look decorative. My question is, how many years do they think I will dust these things? I have a few dearly loved pieces I have willingly dusted for 37 years or more. I have some I have dusted for 2 years. I have others that are kept in a drawer and only brought out to display when the donor is coming to visit. Most of the gifts are in the category of, "If I put this on the shelf,I have to take off what is there now. NO WAY. I'll regift this new gift, or just put it in for Goodwill." But that gives me a guilt complex. How do you deal with this problem? How do you keep from getting your decorating all messed up with things you would never ever have chosen to buy yourself? I usually use them for awhile, but then what?

sharon b

My ex MIL use to give some awful gifts - we would say Thank You take them out of her house in a bag and on the way home drop them off at Goodwill- no sense cluttering up the house with stuff we knew we would never need/ want or use. Just because we didn't like them didn't mean someone else wouldn't

fmhall2

Our church has an excellent solution for that. Every spring, usually early April, we have what we call Spring Exchange. During every service in March we are allowed to bring in things we no longer want. You usually see people coming to church carting a great big trash bag full. We bring in every kind of things from clothing to housewares to toys, books, well you get the picture. Then on Thursday and Friday before Spring Exchange day the ladies of the church go through every thing and organize. We use all of our Sunday School rooms with different categories in each, i.e., kitchen in one, children's clothes in one, toys & books in one, ladies clothes in one, men's clothes in one, etc. The ladies and mens clothes are all hung on hangars by approximate size. It is very neatly organized.

Then on that Saturday, any and all of our church people can come in, church attenders and needy people who are brought by church people. It is emphasized that you don't have to donate to come and receive. At the door as you enter they give you a great big trash bag, you go through the rooms and take what you need - no charge on anything, which is why we call it the Spring Exchange. This is great if you have gained or lost weight, too. We all know not to bring in junky stuff, just things we no longer want, but that someone else might want. Works great.

BellaBoo

I say all the usual stuff like thank you, how charming, etc. and I make a game of it for myself to see how I can get the item in someone take home pile without them knowing. I have even slipped the box/bag into their car in with their other items. Sometimes I receive a call saying I got someone's gift by mistake. I say 'oh no one has mentioned losing a gift to me. This works if you have a group of people that don't see each other a lot.

tallchick

I politely say thank you and take it home and then put it in my donate box; I am a bit of a neat nick and I go through the house 4x a year and de-clutter etc.... and then take it to the good will. If it is a on going nick knack giver I send a thank you note with with the following:

Dear Jane and Bob

It was so good to see you again; I hope that your New Year is off to a good start and that all is well with you. I want to thank you for the beautiful ____________, it was so thoughtful of you to think of us!! We have managed to find the perfect place for it in our home; thank you!!! Jim and I were recently discussing how many wonderful things we have received over the years and how blessed we are to have such thoughtful and generous friends and family; so much so that we have no more room to fit them all!! We are asking that for the coming years in lieu of gifts, that a donation be made to Toys for Tots so that your generosity and kindness can be shared with a child who may not have a Christmas without wonderful people like you. Thank you again for the beautiful _________, and we are looking forward to sharing Christmas with you again next year!!!!

Much Love,

____________

gramajo

What a wonderful way to be gracious & still let people know that you do not need any more "clutter"

mic-pa

I tell peope ahead of time if I can't wear it, eat it or sew it (fabric) I don't want to dust it. So I mostly get gift cards to resturants, fabric shops or dept stores. Works for me.

TanyaL

I think these are all wonderful ideas. I am still thrown for a loss by the grandchilren who say, "Grandma, all of your handpainted Bavarian China plates done in roses (and collected over decades by careful shopping at antique stores) are so old-fashioned. I just wanted you to have this wonderful bowl in bright green and pink diamonds to help you look more modern and up to date, and it matches the puce and yellow plaid pillow for your rust colored sofa that my cousin gave you."
ROFLMBO!

ptquilts

this is why I have asked NOT to get presents. too much stuff...

Now cookies and photos of GK's are exempt from this request...


BTW, if you ever get caught in the situation of a gift-giver being at your house and asking "where is the gift I gave you?"
--- the best answer is, "oh, (fill in the name of someone from the other side of the family that gift-giver does not know) was visiting, and she loved it so much I gave it to her." It's even better if you can add, "and she collects them!"

0tis

Yes, my hubby and I have gotten away from those awful gifts - we emphasize no gifts except for the little guys (our grandchildren) we usually get pics of the grandkids or cookies or some homemade item - love getting those - I don't want our grown kids spending money on us when they have little ones to raise. Sometimes we give joke gifts too but not expensive.