Thoughts On Gifts - Do We Really Need More Stuff?

Father's Day is coming up. I'm a father. Therefore, I will likely be getting gifts - from my daughter and my parents. Not my wife though. She knows me too well.

I don't want gifts. I've got enough stuff. I don't even want a card. Have you seen card prices lately? They're $5, $7, some even reaching as high as $10! For something that will sit on a shelf or desk for a couple of days or a week tops, then get tossed out. That's crazy!

If you want to let me know you are thinking of me, don't send a card. Send a text or an email. The effect is the same, the delivery is instant, and the cost is nothing.

There are exceptions to the no gift rule, of course. Anything homemade is welcome. Something that took work to create is infinitely more cherished than something store-bought. My daughter will likely make me a Father's Day card rather than buy one from a store. Awesome. That will be saved far longer and appreciated far more than a store bought card would.

But no gifts, please. Unless you have a crystal ball and know exactly the make and model of something I want, odds are I'm going to return it, re-gift it, sell it, or give it away to charity. Let's just save everyone time and money and avoid all that, OK?

What Happened?

Somewhere along the line, gift giving transformed from trying to find and buy something you might think a person would enjoy, to asking that person for a list of things they want and picking something off that. What's the point? How is that thoughtful? That's no different than grocery shopping.

What I do want is time. Time with family and friends. Let's go out for a meal or get together at home and just hang out. Let's give each other something that money can't buy.

Not Everyone Feels This Way

I know someone people just don't feel right not exchanging gifts on a holiday. I get that. I know it's hard to change years of tradition. To be sure, sometimes gift giving is still appropriate. Kids should get gifts. Christmas is still gift giving time (although restraint is the order of the day there). Major life events like weddings or graduations call for gifts. But other times? Not so much.

I'm 48 years old. I don't need a gift for Father's Day. Or Valentine's Day. Or my birthday. If you really think about it, you probably don't either.