#gift etiquette

[thatbadadvice]

look, my son didn’t get an education for its own sake

It’s BAD ADVICE TUESDAY over at The Establishment! This week: Grabby Grammy wants to know when her family can start demanding graduation gifts from everybody.

Read the Bad Advisor’s response to this and two other real-life letter-writers here.

[fuckyeahfightlock]

Soliciting honest etiquette advice.

About two years ago hub bought me a bottle of my fave perfume which turned out to be counterfeit (watch “Broken” on Netflix, btw). A few months later I bought myself a real bottle because I wanted it and I was annoyed that he/we got scammed. The bottle is still mostly full because a little goes a long way and I tend to save it for “special” which never comes, so that’s a self-care issue to correct, let’s put a pin in WHY it’s still mostly full, and just keep in mind that it IS still mostly full.

Last week my dear Sis (who lives with us) gave me a brand new bottle of the real perfume. (relevant detail: this is a $60 - $80 gift, not cheap) I guess she missed the detail of the saga where I had already replaced the fake bottle. So now I have two bottles of the real perfume, and I can’t discreetly return/exchange the new, still-packaged one because she bought it online (Sephora) and didn’t give me a gift receipt.

Her gift was truly thoughtful and touched me deeply, so I don’t want to ask for the receipt or etc.

My impulse is to maybe donate the “old” bottle and keep hers??? I don’t know what to do that’s polite AND doesn’t have me sitting here with an amount of perfume I likely won’t finish in the coming decade. Maybe a Sephora store would exchange it for credit without a receipt?

[greenvelope]

Wedding Gift Etiquette

So you have a date, a dress-code-approved outfit, and a fierce craving for bubbly. The last thing left on your to-do list is probably figuring out a wedding gift. If you find yourself struggling, we have some ideas and answers for all your gift-related questions below! (more…)

View On WordPress

[luxebeat]

Re-gifting: Yes, Maybe or No?

Re-gifting: Yes, Maybe or No?

So it’s the season for holiday gift-giving and you’re looking at a few presents you received last year. You appreciate the thought behind them, but you just can’t use these things and you’re wondering whether it’s okay to re-gift them. First is the stunning handmade Italian leather belt you received from an old acquaintance who doesn’t know that you stopped wearing belts when your waistline…

View On WordPress

[theunvanquishedzims]

"Is it too soon to give this person a Christmas gift?"

Solution: Give them something small and unwrapped. A bag of holiday candy usually works, or some small trinket based on a mutual interest. It's thoughtful and generous, but makes it seem like you're not too invested in it in case it is too soon.

[merrybrides]

Wedding Gift Etiquette

                 Q: A friend attended my wedding and did not give a gift. She said a few months later that she was trying to decide what to get. I just received her wedding invitation, and I'm wondering, do I buy her a gift?

A: Go for the gift. If this is stinginess on her part, she may learn from your example. If it's procrastination, she may be embarrassed into action. If it's well-meaning indecision, she may snap to. Whichever it is, you keep your friendship intact.

[wiym-blog-blog]

Are Gift Cards Okay?

I received a wonderful question via twitter from MommyPosh (http://www.mommyposh.com/):

  MommyPosh Gina

@AvaCarrollBrown is it ok to give a gift card as a gift rather than an actual gift? #whereisyourmother? #etiquette

            A specific gift card if the recipient is saving for a special item is acceptable; however, if a gift card is purchased just because; it is always better to give a tangible gift wrapped up and tied with a ribbon.

               My two eldest grand kids wanted iPads and their parents said, “if you want them, you save for them and purchase with your own money”.  After what seemed like years of chores, birthdays and holidays, the 10 year old is now the proud owner of an iPad and, because she purchased it with her own money, it’s being take care of surprisingly well! The 7 year old is well on his way.

            These days, electronic items are at the top of the gift list along with other costly items and, if you as the gift giver know that the recipient is saving for a special item, a gift card is acceptable. Remember, whenever you have the question of what to gift someone, just ask! A special hand selected gift is the first choice but sometimes a gift card is the way to go.