Gift-giving can be fraught and there are many ways to offend. But celebrating our loved ones in all their imperfections is surely the whole point of the festival
One of our earliest lessons in life is to accept gifts gracefully,no matter how bad they are. We are told to be grateful and to remember that “it’s the thought that counts”. The problem with this advice is that the two demands often work against each other. Sometimes, the more you think about the thought that went into the present – or perhaps the lack of it – the more gratitude evaporates and anger or resentment takes its residence.
First there are the presents that gently chide, or nudging you to do things the giver sees as much-needed self-improvements. These can be intellectual or cultural,like giving the total works of David Foster Wallace to people who only like reading whodunnits. Worse, perhaps, or are the gifts that propose you need a makeover: hair straighteners for people who enjoy no interest in smoothing out their kinks.
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Source: theguardian.com