Tuesday 12 February 2019

Are Gifts Truly Gifts Around the Holidays?


I’m not a huge fan of wrapping gifts when it comes to exchanging them with others around birthdays and holidays because, well, I can be lazy and searching for some old shipping boxes to wrap the items in can be time-consuming. And half the time, I can’t even find old shipping boxes to use.


Or really, that’s just my excuse to throw things in a bag and call it an effort. And I certainly realize how lazy and just uninspired that truly is. But it doesn’t exactly stop me from doing it in the first place.

And part of that reason is because gifts, in my opinion, are quite odd when you really think about the concept.

Think about it: a gift is given on major holidays and times of the year like Valentine’s Day because it’s expected. But really, when you really dive into the meaning of the word gift, it’s something to be given away for free because the giver wants to. Well, that would then mean that most traditional “gifts” aren’t really gifts because they’re given around expected days, times, and done in obligation.


The real gifts out there, then, are those out of the blue. When a friend surprises you with something small, that’s a true gift. When your significant other springs a pair of tickets on you for no reason at all, that’s a real gift.

Now, all of this isn’t to say that people don’t really have good intentions when giving a gift around the holidays or during birthdays. Of course they want to get you something you would like. Something novel, useful, and just worth enjoying. What I am getting at, however, is that these are social obligations, days of the year we observe by gifting something to a loved one.


So it’s not really in the meaning or nature of a true gift, then, is it? Real gifts are given with zero expectations of anything in return. That’s when you know someone is a real friend. That’s when you can really feel good about giving a gift.

But if there’s some sort of transaction involved or expected, the entire idea of gift giving is warped. It’s gift exchanging. It’s item exchanging, at its core.

No matter what I say, though, this all wouldn’t sit well with most people as they enjoy the idea of giving and receiving gifts. But like I said, it’s all an exchange where no one comes out “ahead.” So I guess it’s not harmful or beneficial in the grand scheme of things (other than children who get heaps of gifts growing up).


My brother and I seem to get it, though. Rather than ask what the other wants for Christmas and spend a certain dollar amount, we don’t exchange at all. Because then it’s like buying the item for yourself.

Saturday 15 October 2016

Clutter Free for Your Move with 9 Simple Suggestions

When its time to move is also the perfect time to get rid of all that clutter.  If you go through your belongings and purge beforehand, you will wind up saving yourself a heck of a lot of money, not only because you are using quite a few less shipping boxes but because you are taking up way less space and decreasing the weight of your overall move.  



Not sure how to go about decluttering?  Here are 9 simple suggestions that should see you all the way to success:

  • If you are anything like me, you are leery of tossing any kind of paperwork.  This can result in boxes full of trash.  The common rule of thumb is to shred any personal documents that are over 3 years old.
  • When going through your clothes, hang on to the classics.  Items like jeans, pencil skirts, button down shirts… these are never going to phase out.  Get rid of anything else you haven’t worn in over 18 months. 
  • Put photographs in acid-free albums to preserve them.  It’s also a really good idea to back-up or print out your digital photos in case something happens to your hard drive during the move.

  • One thing you do not want to throw away are your home improvement records.  You will want to show any potential buyers what you have invested in your home.
  • One of the first things you should start doing when you know you are going to move is get your hands on as many boxes as you possible can: shipping boxes, used boxes, file boxes.  Then, start filling up those boxes with all of the items you want to get rid of.  Make sure they are properly labeled and set off to the side in the attic or garage for when the time comes to have a garage sale or drop them off at Goodwill.
  • Write down every single item that you are going to be donating so that you can properly document on the tax return slip.  The tax return slip is key- between your move and what you are donating you have the potential to earn back upwards of a couple hundred dollars.
  • Recycle any old electronics that don’t work anymore.
  • If you are getting rid of a toy because it’s missing pieces and generally broken, save everyone their time and dignity and just throw it away instead of trying to donate it.
  • Put any unwanted books in one of your sturdiest shipping boxes and donate them to your local jails and prisons.  Inmates only have access to whatever books have been donated, so I’m sure they will appreciate your contribution!