| If your mom's like mine, she probably gave you lots of | | | | or useful. No matter what the cost, a gift that a person |
| advice on what to do about mostly everything, | | | | can't use or doesn't need will be stuck in a closet and |
| including giving gifts. But sometimes what your mother | | | | forgotten. The same is true for the meaning of a gift. |
| didn't tell you about giving gifts is what matters most. | | | | Maybe you want to give a friend a bottle of bubbles |
| 1. Like, for instance, did your mother ever tell you not to | | | | because it reminds you of the summer when you |
| give women appliances as gifts? Mine didn't. In fact, I | | | | were both six and loved them so much you two spent |
| distinctly remember the year she gave Aunt Maxinne | | | | days blowing bubbles. By all means do! Your friend is |
| a toaster for her birthday. Do I have to tell you that | | | | certain to love the gift and be reminded of those days |
| Aunt Maxinne found it hard to speak to Mom for | | | | too. |
| several months? Aunt M had been hinting for months | | | | 4. Which brings us to the next thing Mom probably |
| about some cologne she wanted, and even at a | | | | never told you about giving gifts. Gifts don't have to be |
| young age, I knew cologne was way better than a | | | | oooh, so serious. Some of the best gifts in the world |
| toaster. So never, even when asked to, give an | | | | are silly, but they bring a smile to a person's face. |
| appliance to a woman as a gift unless it's a wedding | | | | These are usually some of the best gifts in the world |
| or shower gift. | | | | to give-and get. In this stressful, turbulent world we live |
| 2. And did your mom ever tell you that if you give an | | | | in, we all could use a gift that makes us smile and |
| inexpensive (i.e., cheap) gift, the receiver will think you're | | | | reminds us not to take everything so seriously. |
| a tightwad or have bad taste? They will. It's not that | | | | 5. The last thing that your mom probably never told |
| gifts have to be expensive, but they do need to have | | | | you about giving gifts is that when in doubt, give |
| some class or meaning to the person you're giving the | | | | money. She probably told you giving money as a gift |
| gifts to. You can get by with any gift as along as it has | | | | showed poor taste and planning. Well, poohey, Mom. |
| a symbolic or fun meaning to them. But never give | | | | No one dislikes getting money as a gift! No one! Money |
| cheap because you're, well, cheap! | | | | may just be the most thoughtful gift of all. After all, it's |
| 3. The opposite of this is true too, and mom probably | | | | the one thing everybody needs, can use and probably |
| never told you this either. Gifts don't always have to | | | | won't ask for-unless they're your kids, that is. |
| be expensive. What gifts do need to be is meaningful | | | | |