Re Gifters what to do when You’re Caught in the Act
One of the huge problems with mankind is it's diversity of likes and dislikes. People buy presents thinking they are the best thing sinced sliced bread, when in fact the person they are buying it for absolutely hates it. It's a horrible situation, and every house must have one of those places where they put the strange choices of their friends away for a rainy day. It's not ingratitude because you are pleased to have been remembered at all, but some people just don't have the knack of buying the right thing.
Although I haven't made serious mistakes with gifts of any importance, the two most popular gifts here in France are wine and chocolates. We don't buy chocolate at Christmas knowing there will be a glut of it, although recent years have brought on new trends, like home made soaps. Chocolate presents are pretty easy to re-give, though it is wise to know who gave you what. I gave a lady a box of chocolates this year that she had given me, and quick thinking on my part got me out a potentially unpleasant situation, when she opened it and told me that she had bought me the same. "Great minds think alike !", I exclaimed, though with chocolates it's an easy mistake to make, and tastes when purchasing can be fobbed off.
The soap was more embarrassing. It was a horrible bright yellow packed in a basket and when I wrapped it up, I couldn't remember who had given me it at all. Obviously someone that didn't know me too well, since I use a strict regime of soaps for allergies, and when I wrapped it thought similarly that it was alright as a casual present for someone I didn't know that well. The problem was that the lady who got it was indeed the one that bought it for me. When she phoned to say thank you, she mentioned having bought the same for me at Christmas. "Yes", I said, totally cringing and worried. "It was such a super idea that I bought a whole load of them", I replied not wishing to hurt her feelings. I got away with it though shall try not to do the same thing again.
People give thoughtless presents and I felt pretty ashamed that I did the same thing re-cycling those gifts that nobody really wants. This year, I shall put them in the collection trolleys that they have here for poor people. Then at least my gesture will be a more moral one.
