Etiquette Tuesday: Gift Exchange?

[ 0 ] December 24, 2010 |

Image via The Hits Girl Blog

So everyone has received a gift or two that does not exactly fit your style, look or personality but is there a need to show bad etiquette when receiving these hideous gifts?? No.  Etiquette Tuesday returns (*took a few weeks off to decompress…) with what to do with those Christmas gifts that were clearly not meant for you.  It goes back to the old saying “It’s the thought that counts” even if that thought looks like they clearly had someone else in mind when choosing this gift for you (*Seriously, what would a 20-something, single person who lives in a rental apartment need with a weed wacker??).  These situations are where you simply smile and thank the person for thinking of you and be grateful for the kind thoughts.  Now what you do behind closed doors is another thing.

The top ways to discard a bad gift are give it to someone who would get more use out of it (*as long as the person who gave it to you will not be in close proximity to this  person…) or donate it to Goodwill, the Salvation Army, etc.  You should NOT give the gift back to the person who gave it to you (*this actually happened to someone I know this Christmas season. True story.).  There are very few exceptions to this rule but they do include if they are concert/event tickets and you will not be available to make it on that date, it’s morally against your values/beliefs or if they give you a gift receipt and you take it back on your own time.  Your eyes may be offended by what is sitting in front of you but keep it in perspective:  they did think of you, so think of their feelings and simply donate the leather patch sweater to the Salvation Army…remember another person’s trash can be someones treasure…

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Category: Food.Fun.Stuff.

About the Author ()

Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.

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