Source: news.sympatico.ctvnews.ca
Holiday season is just around the corner, and I’ve been grappling with an intricate situation this year. The celebration of Christmas with my family has been a cherished tradition for years. Our custom of drawing straws to decide who buys a gift for whom has always been a fun and affordable approach. It’s been quite seamless and efficient.
However, this year, unexpected circumstances forced us to deviate from our usual routine. One of my siblings, who lives several states away with his wife, won’t be joining us since his wife has to work on Christmas. The predicament of how to carry out our gift exchange ritual came up during our Thanksgiving get-together as we realized they might not be present.
In my haste, I reassured everyone that it would be fine, we’d just continue with the gift exchange when we reunite next year. My sister-in-law seemed hesitant, but agreed. Despite this, I now feel she still plans to buy presents for my kids, counter to our agreement. I rather regret my hasty words, and yesterday my mother pointed out that not seeing them doesn’t necessarily translate to not buying them gifts.
If you ever find yourself in a challenging gift-giving situation like mine, here’s how you can gracefully handle it.
HOLIDAY GIFT EXCHANGE DOS AND DON’TS
A recent CBC News article suggests that the best way to deal with such situations is to have a direct conversation before the holidays begin. We did expressly discuss this during Thanksgiving and managed to reach a compromise, though my sister-in-law seemed a bit uncertain.
Her hesitation was what caught me off guard. CBC’s holiday etiquette guide stresses the importance of clear, honest communication among all those involved in gift-giving. It would indeed be a faux pas if a member opted to purchase and send gifts, even after agreeing not to, due to lingering doubts about the seriousness of the agreement.
Hence, I’d suggest this addendum: revisit your arrangements a little nearer to the holiday season. That’s my game plan – I intend to call my sister-in-law to tell her that I might be sending a small token after all, such as gift cards from their preferred stores. The thought of completely disregarding our gift tradition is discomforting. So, if you change your mind, don’t forget to notify the recipients well in advance, giving them enough time to reciprocate if they wish.
If you’re wrestling with a similar “gift guilt,” reach out to the family or friends involved and reevaluate the situation. An excellent approach might be to buy or create something heartfelt. After all, the sentiment behind the gift is more valuable than a last-minute expensive purchase. This post contains excellent DIY gift ideas that can serve as tokens of goodwill. Remember the main essence of holidays: sharing, love and giving something from the heart, no matter how small.
