Although this city's garish skyscraper Christmas lights and mall decorations usually fail to inspire my festive spirit, a recent trip to London ignited a fair amount of excitement. The smell of pine, impeccably wrapped presents and comical knitwear suddenly seemed appealing.
Last month I offered advice on how to avoid Christmas shopping disasters. If you are hoping for some last-minute tips now, then dream on. It's too late to be dealing with this, and I won't lie: the last minute rush usually ends in tears.
We all know those people who get it horribly wrong, and we've all been on the receiving end of poor judgment. So today we'll address the awkward issue of what do to with gifts you don't like.
I've received vintage shoes the wrong size and accessories that I'll never wear; both were passed on to a friend's younger sister. Regifting is God's gift to those left with a pile of unwanted presents every Christmas or birthday. It is still considered something of a social faux pas. But since recycling has long been a buzzword, why shouldn't it apply to unwanted presents?
There are some rules of etiquette though; this isn't a pass to mindlessly throw all your unwanted tat in the direction of long-suffering friends just because you can't be bothered to buy them something nice.
Presents with sentimental value can't just be palmed off on someone else to save a few dollars. Gifts from children are meant to be cherished, even a few bits of spray-painted dried pasta strung into a necklace.