I don't like surprise gifts

I really do like the excitement of the surprise of not knowing what your gift is. Its part of the excitement on christmas moring. However you do have a point about the excess packaging. I'm probably not going to wrap my gifts this year. I'm thinking of maybe using newspaper and sponge painting a pattern on it to make my own pattern. I also just came up with the item of wrapping the item in a cloth or towel that the person then can use as well. I think its possible to keep the surprise and still be environmentally friendly. My family has long been reusing bows and wrapping paper that is still good. My friends and I had a good laugh in high school because we kept giving each other the same gift bag to wrap birthday presents. It passed between 3 of us about 4 times.

If you take the surprise out of gift giving, it's usually less exciting. If you just give the present to a person, you might as well just hang a sign that says "This is for you, take it." and leave it under the Christmas tree, right? This is just my opinion though. Children also seem to like ripping the packaging off the presents, at least in my family, they do. A "useful gift" is what I would want, but I would tell anyone, I'd just give them guidelines. After all, someone going through all the trouble to buy a gift to only find that you don't like it or don't want it is sad, isn't it?

Yes, these are the times of dwindling resources and limited options. Yet this very grim situation makes me want to have my little moments of joy, all the more. Gifts are one of those things that bring job to me…no matter how small or useless or cheap. The very image of an unknown object, lovingly wrapped in colourful paper, which somebody has bought keeping me in mind…oh I become like a child! OK, when sobered down and alone, I may have second thoughts about some things, but that very moment when somebody is handing out that packet to me…I cherish it very much. So I would never tell a person what I would like to have…I just cannot deprive myself of my little joys.

My family gives out Christmas lists. That way we have an idea what the person wants. Then we have meeting and decide who will buy what.I usually hate surprises but Christmas is different.I love the lying and the sneakiness that goes along with it. You have to go to the store, buy the item and then get it home without anyone knowing. I remember one Christmas I ordered a coat for my om through the mail and it was delivered when she wasn't home Score! Boy was she surprised.but knowing that you hate the idea, does your family just give you a gift card? I would just take you shopping .Or if you have a favorite store, you would get a gift card.

When children are very young, it is exciting to see them open their gifts. We usually know what they would enjoy. In fact, kids just love to open gifts. But, as they grow older, we have found it's best to try and extract their wants from them, if at all possible. Sometimes, you get absolutely nothing! When that happens, I usually give them something I know they will like, as clothes, cologne, jewelry, etc., and then give them money to buy what they would like. We have done that the past few Christmases and it's gone over very good! Even our 20 year old grandson loves to open a few surprises. I had bought him a leather knick knack holder for his keys, billfold, and other small things to keep them off his dresser. I didn't know if he would like it or not, but he did.

for me, whether it's surprise gift or not, it's not a big deal. it's enough for me if others still remember to give gifts. and about how the gifts are given, it's not important to me. the most important thing is we still have others that are taken care of us.

The best surprise gifts are from people who know you and put a bit of thought into what you would like. I enjoy a surprise like that, but am mostly more practical now. While I do enjoy giving, I like to give spontaneously rather than being told when I have to buy presents. My family has agreed not to exchange Christmas gifts between adults - only the children receive gifts, and in return, the children make presents themselves for the people who will give them presents.

I enjoy getting surprise gifts. I think it makes them a little more special!!It takes so much joy out of giving and receiving gifts when you already know what you are getting, or you tell what you are giving.

Hello bantilesroger! I do love surprises. I love the feeling that when I feel excited when opening the gift and trying to guess what it is. Everytime I give gift to someone, I really made it sure that he could use it everyday or if it is really useful to him.

Hi bantilesroger! I feel like you are politicaly correct in your statement and your views. I can relly see your point. To be honest though..I really like the surprise factor of a Christmas gift. It's exciting to me to open a gift and not be sure what it may be. Sometimes people always get just what they need and nothing else. Christmas may be the time for them to get something they just want. I do agree with you on this age being of scarcity and conservation..it makes perfect sense to get just what you need but sometimes a surprise is nice.

I like surprise gifts very much. First of all, it instils in us great curiosity and that is what I like most about it. But there is a disadvantage also and that is there is every chance that the gift might be something which we do not like. And that would be a great displeasure.

I love the surprise of opening gifts on Christmas. I also agree with some of the statements that you made about gifts being more practical. I think that gifts can be both practical and exciting, it just depends on the person receiving the item. I also love the tradition of keeping the gifts under wraps until the day of Christmas. I like the surprise factor. I still like gift wrap even though it is not the most economically friendly item. I think that this can be reduced by reusing gift bags year after year. Really, the gift is only in it for a short amount of time, and there is no reason not to reuse them. You can also buy eco-friendly gift wrap and bags that are made from recylcled materials. Overall, I still love the traditions, but they can be better adapted to suit the modern day world.