Author Topic: What do you say when you have given away the gift?  (Read 2839 times)

samsonator54321

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What do you say when you have given away the gift?
« on: November 14, 2017, 12:41:46 PM »
My number one hobby in life is cooking. It’s my passion. Because of this I often get all sorts of cooking related gifts from friends and family.

Sometimes they are great (a new recipe book, good bottle of olive oil etc). But often I will get kitchen gadgets, or something I don’t ever plan on using. These things are great for people who consider cooking a chore and save them time. But they honestly remove enjoyment of the process for me.

Anyways, so I got a very generous new appliance worth about 100 dollars.  I have no plans to use it, but I’m worried what to say when they ask “how do you like the gift”.

Any good suggestions on a reply?

Linea_Norway

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Re: What do you say when you have given away the gift?
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2017, 01:17:18 PM »
My number one hobby in life is cooking. It’s my passion. Because of this I often get all sorts of cooking related gifts from friends and family.

Sometimes they are great (a new recipe book, good bottle of olive oil etc). But often I will get kitchen gadgets, or something I don’t ever plan on using. These things are great for people who consider cooking a chore and save them time. But they honestly remove enjoyment of the process for me.

Anyways, so I got a very generous new appliance worth about 100 dollars.  I have no plans to use it, but I’m worried what to say when they ask “how do you like the gift”.

Any good suggestions on a reply?

A painful situation. Maybe the best thing is to store it in the box in a cupboard for a year or two and then sell it. They probably won't ask about it after two years.

I am not what you should answer if they ask you earlier. Either tell a white lie, or tell honestøybthat you haven't needed to use it yet.

LadyDividend

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Re: What do you say when you have given away the gift?
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2017, 01:31:29 PM »
Can you sell it new? Is it opened?

If you can sell it new, I would do so and then research recipes using the device. The answer then becomes, " found some __ recipes, but I haven't had the time to try them yet."

If it's opened, I would invite the person over and make something with the appliance for them as an appreciation of thanks. Then do not feel any guilt about getting rid of it!

At the end of the day, presents are not about the item, but about reinforcing a friendship and showing appreciation for the other person. Never lie, but show the same appreciation back.

Linea_Norway

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Re: What do you say when you have given away the gift?
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2017, 03:17:22 AM »
It is indeed a good idea to sell the device and buy something else that you need harder instead, like a new frying pan. Next time they ask you, you can answer that you appreciated the device, but didn't need it and that you bought x for it. Thank you for their gift so that you could buy x.

MayDay

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Re: What do you say when you have given away the gift?
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2017, 06:39:48 AM »
My fill gave me a rice cooker and an immersion blender.

The rice cooker I gave to my sister. When he asked I told him she saw it and loved it so I gave it to her. I exaggerated it into OMG SHE LIVED IT SO MUCH SHE STOLE IT tee hee hee kind of way.  The blender we kept awhile then eventually chucked. It was small so not a problem. The enormous rice cooker I was not keeping around just to make him happy.

Actually, now that I think about it, he bought me a pan once. I donated it as soon as he left. When asked I gave him a puzzled expression and told him I donated it because I already had four pans and I didn't need another one. After that he stopped buying kitchen gadgets.

rubybeth

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Re: What do you say when you have given away the gift?
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2017, 07:06:30 AM »
Eh, some people are really sensitive about that stuff, and some people are just trying to make conversation. You don't need to explain exactly how you used the gift--you can just say, "Oh, it was so great and generous of you to give it to me! I loved it!" and you can say this no matter what you did with it--garbage, regifted, donated, returned. You loved that they gave you a gift, even if you didn't love the gift itself. If they ask more specific questions, I like the idea of saying, "I haven't found a great recipe for it yet but I've got some ideas!" and then change the subject. Or, you can read the situation and determine if being totally honest is best--and with a close friend or relative, sometimes that's best so they get you something you REALLY want next time--you can do this casually without being rude, like "Oh, I have so many gadgets I want on my Amazon list, I'll never have time/money/whatever to buy them all!" or "My Pinterest wish list is full of gadgets I'd love to try!" If they are good with that kind of thing, they'll ask for the list, or find it later and buy something from it for you. :D

And keep in mind: honesty without tact is cruelty.

DS

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Re: What do you say when you have given away the gift?
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2017, 07:49:27 AM »
Maybe for the future create a "registry" / list of things that would help you in the kitchen and share with people who are giving these gifts?

How long ago did you get the gift? Can you still exchange it?

Better to have an honest conversation once than 100 awkward interactions later on.

GuitarStv

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Re: What do you say when you have given away the gift?
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2017, 07:56:10 AM »
My number one hobby in life is cooking. It’s my passion. Because of this I often get all sorts of cooking related gifts from friends and family.

Sometimes they are great (a new recipe book, good bottle of olive oil etc). But often I will get kitchen gadgets, or something I don’t ever plan on using. These things are great for people who consider cooking a chore and save them time. But they honestly remove enjoyment of the process for me.

Anyways, so I got a very generous new appliance worth about 100 dollars.  I have no plans to use it, but I’m worried what to say when they ask “how do you like the gift”.

Any good suggestions on a reply?

"It's really nice!  Thanks very much."

Then you change the subject.



A gift is given freely, and you can do whatever the hell you want with it after you receive it.  Play it any other way and suddenly gifts gain an awful power over your life and cause misery rather than the happiness that they were intended to bring.