no "bad gifts"!!

I don’t know about “bad” gift giving…Sure, I have given people gag gifts, and useless stuff, and worthless stuff- haven’t we all? Thing is, I put thought into gifts so I don't see them as bad.

About a zillion years ago, when yer Ol’ Buddy Scotty was just a fat little kid, from time to time I was disappointed in a gift I had received. And, as kids are prone to do, I I voiced my displeasure sometimes. (Probably several ways, and loudly, ‘cause that’s the kind of obnoxious kid I was.) That’s where my Mom came in really handy. (Moms are like that, if ya listen once in a while.) Mom always tried to make sure we understood the best part of gifts is the giving, not the receiving. For that sentiment to work, you also have to buy into the idea that “it’s the thought that counts”. You see, Mom didn’t always have a lot of money when she was growing up, and the same was true, although to a lesser extent, when I was a kid. Sometimes gifts were small… maybe crafts, or just time, maybe special home made food, whatever.

Still, if you put thought, and maybe love, into choosing a gift for someone, they would appreciate it no matter how much you spent, and no matter whether they had any use for it at all. The beauty of this concept is ya can’t give a bad gift if your heart is in the right place. Are you hearing the word yet? I’m still layin’ it down kids, Can ya dig it?

Ya gotta want this to work, but it really does. Try it for yourself. Shop with a person in mind, not a list of stuff they “want”. Think of what they like, what they do, who you think they are, and give from your heart. They will love it, because you love them.

I am a grandpa now, and I have tried really hard to pass this particular lesson on to my kids, and grandkids, with some success. I have several ugly ties, several sweater vests, and some beautiful hand made things saved up. I even have a battery operated chipmunk dancing to a ZZ Top song. All given to me with love, and thought. I cherish every single one. Nope, no “worst” gifts here.