Gifts and You

(NOTE: All "gifts" referred to in this blogpost refer to practical gifts, such as appliances, clothes, etc. Gifts that are tokens of friendship, trust, affection, and such fall under a different category entirely.)

So very recently, I had a back and forth with this friend of mine about the morality of returning a gift to a store. Their argument was that, "Returning a gift is greedy. That person spent time, thought, and money to get that gift for you! To turn around and trade it for some gift card or store credit is wrong. Maybe trading in an article of clothing that doesn't fit right for a proper size, but otherwise, it's just wrong!"

This argument, of course, is understandable. This person is trying to take the feelings of the gift giver into consideration while chastising the behavior of the gifted for being dismissive and greedy.

They also said, "If you really have no use for the gift, give it to charity! Give it to someone less fortunate than yourself!" This is, again, an understandable approach. If we don't need it, give it to someone who does. It's definitely a moral high ground and by all means, it's a course of action I support.

To myself, however, this is merely an option. Perhaps the most morally applicable, but by no means the only means of which one should handle their unwanted gifts. Being morally upstanding at all times is admirable, but grey areas develop in situations such as these.

Often, people forget the meaning of a gift. Gifts are given with the sole purpose of improving the lives of those we give to. To me, suggesting otherwise is selfish. Why would we give a gift to someone, only to feel offended when the gift we gave does not suit their needs? What purpose, then, does our gift serve? Should we demand they keep it as a sign of appreciation? Is the only reason we gift people in the first place just to indept them?

To me, I'd rather that person return any gift at all that I purchase for them of which they have no use. Hell, even if they HAD a use for it, if returning it will get them something that they would enjoy MORE? Then I definitely approve. All I want is for that person's life to be improved by my gift, even if it's so indirectly.

Of course, all this could be avoided if everyone had an Amazon wishlist! :D