1. Unwantedgifts – and what to do with them
Russell Grenning
EveryChristmas – and birthdaysforthat matter– we receive giftsthatare unwantedandthe
dilemmaarises of whattodo withthem.
My dearoldmummyhad a rolledgoldstrategyforthis – as witheverythingelse.Frightfuleyesores,
impractical bitsof rubbishorjust plaincheapfakeswere all stackedawayinthe unwantedpresents
cupboardwitha tag attachedsayingsomethinglike “FromPeggy and Brian,Christmas1957” and
before PeggyandBrianvisited,the itemwaswhippedout,cleanedandgivenaplace of prominence
on the mantle or ina displaycabinetandthe secondtheyleftitwasconsignedtothe unwanted
presentscupboard,tag reattached.
Whenmummymovedintoa retirementhome,Iinheritedaquite alotof heryesteryearrubbish,
veryoftenwithyellowingtagsstill attached despite the factthat,forexample,PeggyandBrianhad
bothgone to theireternal rewardsanywhere betweenthe late 1980s andearly1990s. And,given
the way of the worldnowadays,ratherthanhidingthese frightfulbitsof 1950s and1960s kitsch,we
have themon opendisplay.Itgivesaglimpse intoalong-agoworldand,veryoften,theyhave
become valuable inthe nostalgiamarket.
Beinga sharingand caringkindof person,Igive a lotof seriousthoughttowhatgiftsto give those
nearand dear to me although – and I’mbeinghonesthere –I sometimes(veryrarelyof course)
beenguiltyof givinginappropriategiftswhenIaminwhat iscalledbymy partner, “oneof your
moods”. Ionce gave a formerfriendwhowasa recoveringalcoholicandattendingAA almostdaily,a
slabof beer.Youwill understandwhyIsay “formerfriend”but he had saidhorrible thingsaboutme
wheninhiscups.
WhenI was inone of mymoods,I foundthiscommentfromthe late EnglishcomicBernardManning
simplywonderful: “Ionceboughtmy kidsa set of batteriesforChristmaswith a note saying ‘Toysnot
included.” Or perhapsyoumightlike this–as I did ina mood – fromSheldonCooperfrom TheBig
Bang Theory”afterreceivingaChristmasgift,“Theessence of the customis thatI now haveto go out
and purchaseforyou a gift of commensuratevalueand representing thesamelevel of perceived
friendship asthatrepresented by the gift you’vegiven me.It’sno wonderthatsuiciderates skyrocket
at this time of year.”
PostChristmas researchcommissionedby eBay andGumtree hasprovidedsome interestinginsights
intohowwe perceive giftsandgivers.
eBay reported,“Australiansarenowstumped with whatto do with over16.7 million unwanted gifts
thatwere received by disappointed friendsand family,valued atover$500 million” and“... overhalf
(56%) of Australiansreceived at least oneunwanted giftand almosta third will be using online sites
to help pay off someof their own Christmasdebtby selling the unwanted presents.”
2. Further,54% of people have “re-gifted”–and 10% of these have beencaughtoutdoingso – and
41% have consignedthe gifttoa cupboardto gatherdust. Itseemsnoquestionswere askedabout
howmany employedmymummy’sstrategyand,whilewe are onthe subjectof unaskedquestions,I
can onlywonderwhythe samplinggrouponlycoveredfolksaged18to 64. Childrenandusmore
mature people have opinionsalso,don’twe?
A total of 13% receivedanunwantedgiftfromdistantrelations,12% fromwork colleaguesand9%
fromfriends.Amonglovedones,55%of menconsideredthatthe womanintheirliveswere spot-on
withthe giftbut only45% of womenfeltthe same aboutthe gifttheygotfromtheirman. I putthat
downto the fact that menare more diplomatic,more lovingormore likelytohave hadtheirwomen
hoveringbehindthemwhentheyfilledoutthe survey.
Perhapsextraordinarily,awhopping27% actuallyhopedtoget an unwantedgiftthattheycouldflog
off and make a bitof dosh.The average unwantedgiftsoldonlinefor$64 although14% of people
sellingthemonline got$100 or above whichsuggeststome that a lotof rubbishcan costa lotof
money.
Of course,youcan donate these thingstocharity – one person’strashisanother’streasure andall of
that – or justthrownthemout toadd to landfill.If youare worriedaboutglobal warming,perhaps
the lattercourse is unwise.
If you wantto letpeople knowwhatyouthinkof the rubbishtheygave you,dowhat mymummydid
once.Friendsgave a cut glassvase one yearand the followingChristmasmummysearchedhighand
lowand foundthe real crystal versiontogive them.
Andyou wonderwhyIhave moods?
