Santa’s Rules for Trouble-Free Holiday Gift Giving

As you might have guessed, Santa has a lot of experience in the gift giving department, even for grown up boys and girls. Over the years, he has discovered some of the worst gift ideas – mostly through trial and error. In the spirit of holiday giving and charity, Santa would like to share with you some of his bad experiences, in the hopes that they might help you to avoid making a major gift giving faux pas of your own.

Whether you are planning on giving a gift to a friend or family member, searching for a fun gift idea for an office holiday party in New Bedford or Secret Santa exchange in Providence, or if you just need to get a special gift for that special someone in Dartmouth, Santa Claus’s tips will definitely help. Avoid embarrassment, over-spending or outright insulting someone with your gift and learn from Santa’s mistakes.

Rule #1 – Don’t EVER Re-Gift

There comes a time in every person’s life when they receive a gift that they don’t like, want or need. However, it is never okay to take that gift, wrap it up and they give it to someone else. The first reason why this is a bad idea is that it could hurt the feelings of the person who gave you the gift in the first place if they ever found out what you did. Receiving a gift at your Fall River office party and then re-gifting it to your Aunt Hattie out on Cape Cod might seem like a good idea, but if the gift isn’t chosen expressly for that person, it could lead to embarrassment – or worse.

Rule #2 – Skip the Gift Cards

Have you ever received a gift card from a close friend of family member? Even if it comes from a well-meaning person, opening a gift card isn’t anywhere near as exciting as opening up a gift that someone picked out and chose just for you. Even if the person you are buying the gift for is a freak about a certain retail shopping store or love to eat at the local Italian restaurant, gift cards are very impersonal and make the person feel as if you didn’t put any thought whatsoever into buying their gift. The best way to use gift cards is as a thank-you gift for a mail carrier, paper boy or other service provider or as an “add-on” gift to go with a wrapped item that you purchased especially for a loved one or friend.

Rule #3 – Avoid Over-Spending

While it is fun to get a gift for someone you care about at the holidays, it is also important not to over-spend. Not only will spending too much on a Christmas or holiday gift empty out your bank account or put you into credit card debt, but you also need to think about the person who will be receiving your gift. How will he or she feel if you spend more money on their gift than they spent on yours? Many families now set a price limit on annual gift exchanges to ensure that no one over-spends. Make a budget for yourself, stick to it and spend more time putting thought into the gifts you buy, rather than focusing on the dollar amount you invest in getting an over-the-top present.

Rule #4 – Pass on “Too Personal” Gifts

While a bottle of nice perfume or cologne can be a great and thoughtful holiday gift, items such as hair brushes, mouthwash and deodorant can be very generic at best, or very insulting and hurtful at worst. The point of getting a gift for someone is to make them feel good. Buying deodorant for “that smelly guy in accounting” might seem like a win-win for everyone, but it will just draw attention to that person’s hygiene problems and make them feel bad. Also, avoid giving intimately personal gifts to co-workers. While you might think that the girl from the mail room would appreciate a purple zebra striped thong, it is not a good idea to give one to her as part of your office exchange.

Rule #5 – Don’t Buy Something Just Because You Like It

While you and your friend might have similar tastes, the best way to buy a great holiday gift is to think about your friend, what they like and what might make them happy. Don’t just buy something because you like it or wish someone would buy it for you. The holidays are a time for thoughtful giving, so take a few minutes to really consider your friends likes, tastes and interests. The best gift is the one that really shows the other person that you know them, understand them and cared enough to think about them when you went shopping.

Make Your Party Even More Merry & Bright with Santa!

If you are looking to make holiday memories this season, contact The Santa Connection to hire Santa for your party. Our local Dartmouth Santa Claus can be a great asset to your Fall River office party, family gathering or party in New Bedford, commercial promotion in Providence or a fun addition to your beach party out on the Cape. If you want to hire Santa for your party, invite him to attend a photo shoot or ask him to participate in your community parade, contact The Santa Connection today to reserve the date. Our natural bearded, traditional Santa Claus is a great way to amp up the holiday fun at your next party!