The Rules of Christmas Gift Giving

The Rules of Christmas Gift Giving

They always say it's the thought that counts - well they're WRONG! There are unwritten rules (well unwritten till now) to gift giving. Make sure you have read and understand all these rules and avoid the embarrassment that comes with breaking one of the cardinal rules of gifting.

Rule 1. You should donate "proper" gifts to charity. When you are asked to donate a present for a work related program, or if you are donating to the wishing tree make sure that you purchase a "proper" gift. By Proper we mean NEW and in its original packaging.

Rule 2. If you dont have an idea of what to get a co-worker for secret Santa, it is WRONG to ask what to get them, you can do it on the sly or you can save yourself and them any embarrassment and get them a gift voucher instead

Rule 3. If you are not sure that someone can afford to reciprocate a gift and don't want them to feel embarrassed send something Anonymously. It is a great idea to send them something the normally couldn't/wouldn’t buy themselves, such as an indulgence or a voucher to a nice dinner. Sending anonymously will allow you to feel that special something without making the recipients feel bad because they cant give you something back.

Rule 4.When you have "missed" that special day, remember "BETTER LATE THAN NEVER"

Rule 5. If you arrive at a party only to find that you are the only one who hasn't brought a gift, don't make a big fuss about it - just send your gift and a note and be done with it.

Rule 6. Gifting with friends helps the budget and the creativity! Why not join up with a group of friends or family if you are buying for someone who is particularly hard to buy for? Or for those "Big" Occasion's when many wallets are better than one. But dont forget to include everyone’s names on the card.

Rule 7. When buying gifts for the boss or co-workers it is better to buy as a group than buy yourself. If you are particularly close to a co-worker or your boss then give them your personal gift outside of work. This will reduce any possible embarrassment on the part of either the receiver or the other co-workers.

Rule 8. For those recipients who have EVERYTHING give a gift certificate. Gift Certificates are a great idea for hard to buy for people, and those people who we think have everything. If you give a gift certificate as a gift then that person can choose something they would like or something that you don’t know they need.

Rule 9. If you have "missed" the deadline for posting a present, shop online. Grumleys Gift Express can save you with a huge variety of gifts for all tastes and budgets, and we can deliver same day throughout Australia.

Rule 10. Think outside the box for gifts. For your partners next birthday why not arrange a lovely dinner out and then a movie and have the tickets and a dinner invitation delivered to them at work? Or what about a picnic on the beach? Grumleys Gift Valet's can organize these for you.

Rule 11. What to do with those "unwanted" gifts. Re-gifting as its commonly known is when you give a gift that you have received and don’t particularly want so you pass it onto someone else as gift. Make sure you remember who have you what and who knows who so that your re-gifting doesn’t offend someone.

Rule 12. If you are re-gifting don't change the packaging, just the wrapping.

Rule 13. Why not hold a swap party? As the old saying goes: One mans trash is another mans treasure so get together with a bunch of friends and see if you can swap some of your unwanted gifts- You never know what you might find.

Rule 14. When you receive 2 of the same gifts it is OK to return one for something else, just don’t tell anyone that you did it- that way when people see the item in your house they will think it’s the one they sent

Rule 15. If you have exchanged your gift and the sender asks how you like it be polite but honest if you think the sender can handle it, tell them that you loved the gift idea but that you changed it to better suit your home décor or whatever. If you think the sender might be offended that you exchanged their gift- then when they ask just say thank you and leave it at that.

Rule 16. If you have received a gift with the receipt with it- and you don’t like it then EXCHANGE it, usually the reason the sender has left the receipt with the gift is so that you can exchange it if you want to.

Rule 17. Always remember your MANNERS, when you receive a gift, whether it is your personal taste or not you should always say THANK YOU. These 2 little words are just what the sender wants to hear, that their time and thoughts have been appreciated. For gifts that are presented in person it is not standard practice to send a thank you note as you should say it when you are receiving the gift, however for those "non presented presents" a note of thanks is appropriate.

Rule 18. Send your thank you notes promptly: the sooner the better. Thank you notes don’t have to be very long, and should be personalized to the point of mentioning the gift that the particular person sent you. That way they know that you know exactly what they sent you.

Rule 19. If you have someone who is too young to write a thank you note- write it for them.

Rule 20. If someone has hosted/helped you in someway it is considered nice to thank them with a token gift. This may be a slab of beer and a BBQ for the boys that helped you move house, or a set of tea cups for the neighbour who looked after your house while you were gone. A gift voucher is the perfect thank you gift- because often you don’t really know the likes and dislikes of the person you are purchasing for.

(based on information from www.giftingsources,com) Grumleys has something for everyone and we will make sure you don any rules this christmas with our great range of christmas gifts and presents. For more interesting Christmas Facts and figures why not check out: Christmas History page Santa Claus page Christmas Traditions page Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer page

See more for Christmas gift ideas

Christmas, Christmas Flower Gifts, Christmas Gift Ideas, Christmas Gifts, Christmas Stocking Stuffers, Christmas Present Ideas, Gift Baskets, Christmas Gifts for Family, Boyfriend Christmas Gifts, Girlfriend Christmas Gifts, Wife Christmas Gifts, Grandfather Christmas Gifts, Grandmother Christmas Gifts, Brother Christmas Gifts, Sister Christmas Gifts, Unique Gifts, Unique Gifts for Him, Unique Gifts for Her, Gifts For Him, Gifts For Her, Celebration