posted on December 25, 2003 12:45:23 PM new
You know it's true - every year you get that one present that makes you look at the giver and desperately want to ask "Have you met me?". YOu know the one, that gift that has to be the absolute last thing you would ever want and could only be a either a cruel joke or evidence that the giver is suffering the early stages of alzheimers and had completely forgotten everything they knew about you when they picked it out.
For me this year it is a wallet (what is it with walles - this is the second heinously ugly one I have recieved this year). It had got to be the most hideous thing I have seen and the definition of "not me". I laughingly described this vinyl thing with a silkcreened dog print, beaded picket fence, tree and basket of flowers to my mother this morning who after confirming that the giver was not an 8 year old, asked if the giver ever actually met me.
We all recieved one of these gifts this season....
What was yours? (and will it be on ebay later this week?)
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
Gift giving is irrational - unless, perhaps, you are hedging your bets, says Ross Gittins.
It's a little-known fact that the first economic rationalist was Ebenezer Scrooge. That's because economists simply can't understand why people would do something as stupid as giving presents at Christmas.
Conventional economics teaches that gift giving is irrational. The satisfaction or "utility" a person derives from consumption is determined by their personal preferences. But no one understands your preferences as well as you do.
So when I give up $50 worth of utility to buy a present for you, the chances are high that you'll value it at less than $50. If so, there's been a mutual loss of utility. The transaction has been inefficient and "welfare reducing", thus making it irrational. As an economist would put it, "unless a gift that costs the giver p dollars exactly matches the way in which the recipient would have spent the p dollars, the gift is suboptimal".
posted on December 25, 2003 04:31:37 PM new
Wouldn't a great gift be one month's payment of your gas bill or electric bill? Even a credit card payment made in my behalf would be a great gift. Heck, I'd love a grocery store gift certificate or a box of homemade candies or cookies. Can you tell I'm over the age of 40? Can ya, can ya?
posted on December 25, 2003 05:56:47 PM new
fenix, that is funny about the wallet
We gave gifts this year instead of gift cards for the kids. But there was one that they really appreciated, we gave them a Union 76 Gas card in their stocking (yes they still get stockings )
Now they loved that one, but they always love to get gifts anyway
Helen, the rest of the story on the article you posted:
I should tell you Ruffle has opined that the utility from gifts consists of not only the monetary cost and value of the gift, but also the emotions associated with it. He contended that "gift giving improves welfare if the giver's pride and the receiver's surprise from the gift plus the receiver's monetary valuation of the gift exceed the giver's monetary cost".
Predictably, however, the economics profession has shown little enthusiasm for this airy-fairy speculation and Ruffle himself seems to have abandoned it.
Really, it makes you wonder how someone so foolish manages to hold down his job.
Merry Christmas
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posted on December 25, 2003 06:21:34 PM new
Fenix -
Mr. Kraft & I spent Christmas at my friend Jane's. Jane has big bucks and her friends have big bucks. Her best friend, that's ultra rich, gave her a used CD.
posted on December 25, 2003 07:29:02 PM new
kraftdinner
Isn't it funny that more often than not the nicest gifts come from those that have the least amount of money? When I used to waitress my biggest tips came from people who looked like they could least afford it. With the wealthier set I was lucky to get the 10% that was appropriate at the time. Maybe that's why the rich just keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer! (Ya, like I really believe that one)
posted on December 25, 2003 10:52:44 PM new
Helen your 'intro' to the article, you said, or called it:
So, Scrooge was right after all?
But I'm sure you know the story in The Christmas Carol. Scrooge didn't believe in wasting ones money and time on things like Christmas celebrations. But in the end, what happened to Ebenezer Scrooge? He changed, and why did he change?
Not everyone thinks its a big waste and not altruistic, some really do like to give (and not just gifts on Christmas.) Sometimes it really does come from the heart, ya know?
'nite, and hope you had a great Christmas
edited for ubbbbbbbbbbb
Wanna Take a Ride? Art Bell is Back! Weekends on C2C-www.coasttocoastam.com
[ edited by NearTheSea on Dec 25, 2003 10:54 PM ]
posted on December 27, 2003 10:50:56 AM new
My "do you know me?" gift was cinnamon potpourri.
I hate odors (perfume, candles, potpourri etc) and the sent of cinnamon makes me nauseated. I'm serious. I cannot smell cinnamon tea or anything "spice" without the need to hurl.
