The Art of Gift Giving (or Lack Thereof) (Part 2)

Gift giving to children is an entirely different cup of tea. You see, with kids, there is very little anxiety because when you give a gift to a child, you can usually tell exactly how they feel about it. They are super excited to open it and for the most part happy to get a gift, whatever it may be. And even if they really like it, they are likely to fling it aside and go off to play in the snow anyway so no pressure to find the "perfect gift."

And the best part, if they get all snooty and complain that it "isn't what they wanted" you get to give them a lecture about how they should be grateful because there are kids in Africa who don't even have food to eat, much less a crayon to play with. And when they still act so entitled, you can tell them about your grandparents and how they had to walk up that ice covered hill just to get to their stockings and then you could ask:

"You know what their stockings were stuffed with? Grapefruit and Oranges, that's what. 

And do you think they complained? No, they didn't.

Do you know why? No, not because they loved citrus. They didn't complain because they were super hungry and they knew if they complained about the citrus acid being too much for their empty tummies and how they were really hoping for toys instead that the fairy in charge of ungrateful children would come into their rooms that night and steal all their belongings so that they'd have to go to school the next day in only their underwear and coat and when the teacher asked why they wouldn't take their coat off they would have to admit to their selfish ways and everyone would shake their heads and not want to play with them ever again. Because they knew that they only had one pair of underwear and it was probably dirty!

So, how do you like the broken red crayon I gave you now? Yeah, it does totally rock. You're welcome." 

And then next year, you can give them the blue one to create a matched set. And if they complain then, I highly recommend you take back the crayons and tell them you will get them something else. Then take five minutes to hand-make a card, complete with your handprint on it, draw on some eyes and a nose because obviously they think THAT is the best gift ever, five years straight....

Gift-giving to children is a piece of cake. As long as you are willing to go that extra mile.