7 Myths about Christmas Gifts
If you have been around for a year or two (or more) it is very likely that you have heard some so-called facts about Christmas gifts and gift giving. In fact if you have heard them enough times it is possible that you now believe them to be true. Some of those so-called facts are very likely myths however. Let’s look at some of the biggest myths surrounding the art of gift giving at Christmas.
1. Giving to charity at Christmas time will not benefit those who need it most – Regardless of many of the stories that have been circulating for several years about administration costs of non-profit organizations and charities eating up the majority of the money they receive, there are plenty of charities who do indeed use the largest portion of your monetary donation to benefit the needy. If you want to help people in need within your own community find a local church or charity that has a good reputation for putting donated funds to work in ways that make a difference. If you are in doubt about any of the charitable organizations in your area consider buying food and gifting it to a food bank or soup kitchen. Another way you can help is to contact your local church and ask if there are any families in need of assistance. The church can either pass on your donation directly to the families or you can make up food baskets to have distributed.
2. Christmas is all about seeing how many gifts you can get – Contrary to this belief Christmas for many families is the one time of the year that they are able to all gather together in one place and enjoy each other’s company. Yes, gifts are nice, and it is pleasing to receive something nice that another family member has put a lot of thought into but at the end of the day it is likely to be the memories of sitting around the Christmas table and laughing and having fun together that will be of the greatest value.
3. Christmas is too commercial – While it is indeed true that Christmas gift buying season seems to begin earlier and earlier with each passing year there are many people embracing more minimalistic lifestyles and foregoing the commercial aspects of Christmas in favor of experiences. There is more emphasis being put on sharing good times together and less on buying expensive gifts that many can ill afford. Naturally businesses want you to buy and for many the 4th quarter of the year is the most financially rewarding but every individual has the ability to shop within a budget and still manage to find wonderful gifts for every family member.
4. Pets make wonderful Christmas gifts – Sadly, while the heart may be in the right place when a puppy or kitten is given as a Christmas gift, unless the idea has been discussed thoroughly with the child’s parents first and agreed upon, the idea may backfire. Not everyone is willing or ready to open their home to an animal no matter how cute they are. Puppies and kittens both grow into adult animals and require vet checkups that can be costly. Puppies in particular are a lot of work to house train and teach obedience. Animal shelters become inundated with unwanted pets in the New Year, many of them having to be put down due to an inability to re-home them.
5. Everyone can use socks and underwear – There is very little more disappointing than opening a beautifully wrapped package that promises to hold something exciting only to discover that inside are socks and/or underwear. While it is true that these items do need replacing periodically they are probably one of the least exciting Xmas gifts to receive. Children are typically the recipients of such gifts and it is very disappointing to them to receive such practical and mundane items.
6. A man can never have too many ties – While there are some absolutely beautiful ties to buy at Christmas time many men have very little interest in owning more than half a dozen ties. Unless it is a particularly special tie that holds special meaning, such as an alma mater tie, it is best to steer clear of buying ties for Christmas gifts. A tie pin on the other hand is likely to be appreciated if carefully chosen with his tastes in mind.
7. Christmas gifts need to be expensive to have value – The amount of money you choose to spend on gifts is entirely up to you and should not be dictated by someone else’s expectations. Too many people go into credit card debt trying to buy expensive gifts because they have been led to believe that unless it cost a lot of money it has very little value to the recipient. This simply is not true. Many of the best gifts either cost very little or nothing at all. Homemade gifts are some of the best gifts to receive, and the gift of time is precious beyond belief. There are so many craft items that a person can make for gifts, or you can give the gift of your time to your loved one. A special outing, a picnic prepared just for them, babysitting for parents of young children and even something as simple as putting up pictures for grandparents can all be gifts of great value.
