Disappointment over gifts

[Dizzy]

I got a present I didn't like this year...... There's no way I'd tell them I didn't like it! Thank god it didn't actually fit me, so had to be returned anyway I felt awful not liking it.... I didn't quite know how to react when I opened it... Just grin and say thank you!!

[Dogdragoness]

Originally Posted by milos_mommy

Do you think it's a sign of selfishness or ungrateful to complain about people giving you gifts that are unequal in monetary value to what you gave them?

On another forum I'm on, this one girl mentioned she was a bit disappointed because she spent a lot of money choosing gifts she really thought her parents would like, and in turn they got her just a small, practical gift. I can understand being a bit miffed about something like that, those are close family members, and it was more of a disappointment that her parents weren't more attentive than a money thing.

Then, a bunch of others chimed in.

"I spent $25 on a gift for my boyfriend's mother and she just got me a perfume that was discounted for $7.99"
"I bought each of my brothers a $15 gift and they each gave me a bit of chocolate."
"I bought all my nieces and nephews gifts and my siblings didn't get anything for my baby"

Dude, maybe nobody wants to gift you a gift because you're such a whiny ungrateful little douchecanoe about it?!? Do people buy others gifts just because they want something in return? If I get someone a Christmas gift that's more than just some cookies or a small generic token, it's because I want them to be happy and enjoy it...probably not out of the goodness of my heart, but just because I'm not going to waste time and money getting gifts as some kind of bartering exchange.

Shoot ... We got some trainer friends of mine (including a really good guy friend of mine) gifts (the husband & wife we got them a house set of candles, each a nice gift set of fine perfume. My guy pal I got him a nice candle also, a dream catcher ... Since he is Indian, & a nice pair of gloves since he gallops race horses in the morning & I have never seen him with gloves. Since I know how it feels to ride in 30 degree weather bare handed, I figured it was a thoughtful gift.)

In return we got an assortment of home made holiday treats that we throughly enjoyed, now I know that most folks would be like WTH, but to us it was just so thoughtful & sweet of them, we were genuinely touched.

[Renee750il]

It's a cliche, but like many cliches there's truth to it: "it's the thought that counts."

[Dogdragoness]

I agree when I get a gift that I really don't like or whatever ... I think "well, at least they thought about me enough to get me SOMETHING even if it wasn't what I "like" or want

[release the hounds]

When giving gifts becomes about keeping a running tab to keep things "even", I'll quit buying gifts.

[Dogdragoness]

You know I actually like gift giving, maybe that's the "selfish" part for me, I get my "high" from the look on their face when they realize you remembered them & thought about them enough to get them something is all the thanks in the world to me ... I don't care if they didn't even get me something (most of our friends are trainer/ horsemen friends & are strapped for cash ... Which is why a gift from/for them means so much).

[spiffy]

Gift giving is a tradition in our family thus all the nieces and the nephews get gifts from the older folks. The kids would holler "gift giving, gift giving" after the Christmas dinner. People loves receiving gifts but in our case, we do not really expect gifts from the kids. Just as Fran says, we give the best gifts to the people we love. But there are cases when you cannot help but be dismayed with the kind of gifts you receive from some people. I volunteered to get my mom a gift she will take to her class reunion. I got her a rather pricey cut glass vase. You know what she got? A dish towel imprinted with the logo of an appliance company...it was a promotional item. Oh well, that's life. This is one of the situations where you get disappointed with the kind of gift you receive.

[Dogdragoness]

I have also gotten some non age worthy gifts (like gifts you would give a 13 yr old when I was graduating HS lol) but I always accepted them graciously to spare the persons feelings the fact they tried means a lot to me ... I got my uncle a few nice things & Ll I got in return was a Starbucks card ... If course I used the heck out of it