What I Learned from Christmas- Part 1: Minimizing the “Oh…” Factor

Every year, there is at least one gift giver on our list whose gifts are like a can of food that has lost its label…you wait with baited breath not really having a clue as to what surprise is inside until the gift is opened. Sometimes this gift is a hit and sometimes it is not just a strike, but the pitcher fully dropped the ball. As an adult, we just shrug and chalk it up knowing that giver had great intentions…after all, “it is the thought that counts.” However, even for the most grateful child, the well-intentioned thought does not quite equal the fact that you jousted on a gift.

As a parent, I have begun to realize that since we live on the opposite side of the country from family that our extended family does not really know my girls anymore, what they have, what they are really into, or even what size of clothes fit them. In the past, when my daughters have received either an off the wall gift or a double of something they have, I told them, “Don’t worry, mommy will hook you up” as I did not want them disappointed that they did not get a usable gift. However, I realized not only was it starting to be a waste of my money to hook them up when a gift was a bust (as it was another gift that I had not previously budgeted for), but it was also a waste of the givers money.  In the past, I asked my husband if we could please give wish lists with gifts in a variety of dollar values so that the givers could pick something the girls would like in whatever price range suits them. He did not want to seem greedy by asking and felt that some family members would take offense as they like the joy of picking out the perfect gift.

As we go into 2011, I am working on getting my life more organized. Two parts of that organization is decluttering my house of unneeded items and not wasting money. For us, the gift trap falls into both of those. Christmas may be over, but birthdays are coming as well as Christmas will sneak up again sooner than we realize (yes- I realize it is only a week after Christmas). So, I am starting out this year with a resolution to minimize gift mishaps. On my “To Do” list for this week is creating cyber wish lists. Stores like Amazon, Target, and Toys-r-Us allow shoppers to create public wish lists. I plan to send out an email letting gift givers know that I am trying to make shopping easier on them by providing interests and suggestions of items the girls don’t have. I also plan to include a list of store that my tweenage daughter would like gift certificates to…as that can be a picky age for clothes; however, she loves getting gift cards to her favorite stores and picking out her own clothes.

Will this go over well for everyone? No…maybe not. Some will find it helpful and possibly a relief to know exactly what gifts will be a hit and it saves them from stressing over what to find…plus they still get the choice of picking which item. Wish lists online also help save on shipping expenses especially at Christmas-time when there are free shipping deals. Others may not find it to be as proper to ask, but I know that even when I was little my grandma would ask me what I wanted for Christmas. The two keys that I suggest on creating wish lists are (1) variety in products- have enough options so that the giver still feels as if he/she gets to pick out the gift and (2) variety in price- have enough items in different price ranges so that the giver can pick something that fits his/her budget.

My final thoughts:

(1) This concept doesn’t just work for children. With stores like Target and Amazon allowing anyone to make wish lists, mom and dad can also put out their preferences.

(2) If you are on my gift giving list, then please make a list too. It will save me from wasting money on a gift someone may not like and also from wasting the time trying to figure out things like what a teenage boy wants. I am probably just as guilty of giving the “oh…” gifts.

(3) If you make a gift list, make sure to update it at least a couple of months in advance of holidays and birthdays to ensure the “wants” are up to date as well as to show any items that may have been bought in the meantime.

*There are two more articles planned in the “What I Learned from Christmas” series.