Boxing Thursday

It’s time for this week’s Thursday Thumb-Twiddler.

1. Acquaintances have come to visit, bearing an unexpected holiday gift. “Unexpected” as in, “You don’t have one for them.” What do you do?

We usually try to have a gift or two, of a nice, if generic, quality, ferreted away, just for this sort of thing. Since there are numerous social occasions over at the Ks during the holiday season, this is a must.

If we get caught flat out, then appropriate wailing and gnashing of teeth is always welcome, followed by an Amazon gift certificate.

2. A dear family member has gifted you with something truly hideous, which would never, ever go with your decor, your lifestyle, or your aesthetic. What do you do with it?

We express genuine and profound thanks for the gift (or, more properly, for the thought behind it, though we’ll never tell), then either give it away to someone who might appreciate it, or to the Salvation Army (etc.).

We got some very nice glassware post-wedding out of that, having been gifted with the World’s Ugliest Dish Set, and swiftly discovering that we could actually exchange it …

3. It’s Christmas Eve. Rushing into a store to pick up some last-minute gifts, you are accosted by a gent who, politely, spins a tale of woe for you about being short on the rent. He sounds convincing. What do you do?

“Sorry, can’t help you right now.”

Cruel, if they’re genuine, but necessary. And the fact is, there are institutions (religious and non-) that can both help him and are better qualified to figure out the right kind of help (if any) than I am.