The Art of Giving

By Bradlley Mckoy

It is better to give than to receive. You give because you want to, not because you are obliged to do so. According to John Rockefeller Jr., think of giving not as a duty, but as a privilege. As a gift-giver, you also need to know what gifts to give. Should you go for personalized gifts for men, women, and children, or something generic? Have you polished the fine art of giving to make the experience memorable?

Giving as an Art

The knack for giving appropriate presents is a talent. You must know instinctively what a person wants, where to get it, and how to present it. Fortunately, you don't have to go to lengths to answer the riddle of the sphinx to get the appropriate gifts. What makes the gifts you give truly unforgettable is how you give it and the thoughts that went with it.

This checklist will determine the kind of gift-giver you are:

* Do you get the gift at the last minute?
* Do you take time to shop for gifts?
* Do you always want to impress the recipients of your gifts?
* Are you budget conscious?
* Do you always feel that giving gifts is obligatory?
* Do you like to make the gifts yourself?
* Do you always want the receiver to feel proud of your gifts?
* Do you want the receiver to feel indebted to you?

Whatever you give, you relinquish your right over it. You should not expect the receiver to keep everything under lock and key just because you gave it. They now have exclusive rights to the gift - it's theirs to keep or give away if they see it fit to do so. This is the highest value in giving gifts.

What to Give and When?

Giving personalized gifts for men or women for weddings, graduations, anniversaries, birthdays, and christening must be accompanied with discretion. You do not give a lighter to someone who is trying hard to quit smoking, or you do not surprise a casual friend with a diamond ring. There has to be some limits on what you can give and when to give it.

Perhaps you're the type who gives gifts because there is an occasion to do so. But there is no rule that establishes the fact that gifts are only given when there is a celebration. You can give a loved one or friends gifts anytime you want it. Take for example the football or NASCAR season - you can always give your father or brothers tickets to the games.

But giving gifts to co-workers and corporate acquaintances should be within bounds of etiquette. You do not give a boss or co-workers gifts when there is no reason to. That would raise eyebrows.

The best times to give gifts, though, are occasions of birthdays, wedding anniversaries, graduations, a promotion at work, and somebody's homecoming. Here are suggestions or gift ideas for gifts:

* Weddings - something to furnish the love nest
* Graduations - how-to books can be put to good use
* Christening - baby things for the baby and a keepsake for the parents
* Birthdays - things that match the recipient's interests

How to Give

Gifts are both tangible and intangible. It's how you give them away that counts. You don't give something to humiliate the recipient or make him or her sorry for his/her situation.

The gift should be given away with an act of kindness, not with posturing or cockiness. If you're giving to charity, do it without fanfare. If you're giving a friend a birthday present, do so with gladness and anticipation of his happiness. How you give the gift will be well-remembered more than the gift itself.

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