Selecting gifts for some people can be a real headache whereas it is a breeze for some others. It depends on how well you know the person and whether your tastes and preferences tally to any extent or not. Here is a list of things that you should steer clear of and some tips to keep in mind when choosing gifts.
The List of Absolute No – Nos
01.Underwear : Give them a bit of privacy and let them shop for these themselves.
02.Cookery Books : That’s as good as saying, your food doesn’t taste so great – why don’t you flip through and figure things out?
03.Souvenirs : You went on a neat trip to the coast, eh? Good for you – sucks to be them, so they don’t want that in their face. Thanks!
04.Pets : Living things are a huge responsibility and a sacrifice; unless you know that they are looking out for a particular breed of a dog or are keen to have a hamster, this is a no go zone.
05.Books or DVDs that are not of suitable content : You may think it is funny or it could be reminiscent of good times you have had with the person, but these can make things awkward. Also, DVDs went out of fashion when I was graduating.
06.Exercise Equipment : Is this your subtle way of saying ‘burn calories’ – well, don’t! Unless you know that they are eying a particular piece of gym gear, this kind of gift edges into their personal territory.
07. Clothes : If the person is not known to you too well where you have an understanding of preferences and sizes, it is best that you avoid giving clothing items. What is you picked a Large for a person who is Medium sized? They would think that they appear fat in your eyes and if you do it the other way around, they would be annoyed that they have to go pick a larger size. Also, don’t pick anything from the discount section if you badly need to gift clothes.
08.Socks and Shoes : Tch tch – far too tacky as a gift.
09.Photo Albums : They are from an era that my grandmother belonged to – not even yesterday!
10.Household Items : Ladies have lives outside of the kitchen and the living room; please refrain from giving them vases, Pyrex dishes, woks and cutlery as birthday gifts. Those are ideal as house warming presents; keep them stashed for that purpose.
Have something in hand and not sure whether it qualifies as a gift? Write to us at fullofetiquette@gmail.com and we will help you figure that out.
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash
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