Grex Scruples Conference

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Grex Scruples Item 28: The birthday present
Entered by carson on Wed Jul 6 03:31:24 UTC 1994:

(You're celebrating your birthday. One of your friends gives you a present
that you absolutely cannot stand. This particular friend is very sensitive
and probably spent a great deal of time trying to find something you would
like.)

(Do you keep the gift?)

9 responses total.

#1 of 9 by roz on Wed Jul 6 03:42:47 1994:

Absolutely.  The real gift is that the friend took a lot of trouble to
try to find something I'd like.  So they made a mistake . . . big whizz.
Now, that doesn't mean I'd wear it, display it, or whatever.

#2 of 9 by kimba on Wed Jul 6 04:30:08 1994:

That would really depend upon how appaling it was.  If it were a velvet
painting of Rush Limbaugh, I think a bonfire would be in order.  If it were
a cd of Barney or something, I'd exchange it in a heartbeat.

#3 of 9 by mta on Wed Jul 6 04:30:45 1994:

Like Roz said.  Unless the friend is so far away that s/he will never
have a chance to notice.  Then, if I truly couldn't stand it, I'd
be tempted to exchange it for something very similar, but to my taste.

(A silk blouse for a silk blouse, better colour.  A gold necklace for a 
similar silver necklace -- that sort of thing.  This on the theory that
my friend will also want me to be happy with the gift.  Then whenever
I wear/use the gift I swapped for, I thank my friend again for being so
kind and generous!

#4 of 9 by scg on Wed Jul 6 04:52:17 1994:

When shopping for something a few days after Christmas, I ran into a lot
of friends who were talking about how much money they had just gotten
returning Christmas presents.  It seemed quite strange to me, since I've
never thought of a present as soemthing to return to get the money.  If
somebody wanted to give me money they would give me money.  Besides,I'm
sometimes amazed at how useful something that's been sitting in my closet
for several years suddenly turns out to be.

#5 of 9 by aruba on Wed Jul 6 13:10:33 1994:

I hardly ever throw anything away, so I'd keep the gift.

#6 of 9 by popcorn on Wed Jul 6 13:43:05 1994:

This response has been erased.

#7 of 9 by ewhisam on Wed Dec 27 23:46:12 1995:

The thought counts, keep the gift.

#8 of 9 by mf2 on Sun Sep 15 02:43:32 1996:

My theory to solve this problem, is that I usually don't do gifts. I buy gifts
for my wife and daughter only. I would keep the gift until any danger of hurt
feelings is gone, then, if I feel I still don't like the gift, I find someone
who could use it or who actually likes it and give it to them.

#9 of 9 by diznave on Sun Nov 9 07:02:35 1997:

I'd say, "Good lord in heaven, Fred!!!!!! What kind of lousy crap is
THIS?????? GET OUT, YOU BASTARD!!!!!  I'LL KILL YOU!!!!!! YOU FILTHY
WORM!!!!!!!!!!!!"

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