Giving Funny Gifts Adds Value
We have been taught since we were toddlers that ” ‘Tis better to give than to receive”. Of course we didn’t quite buy into that theory in our youth, as nothing felt better than that new bike, train set, Nintendo, Xbox, Barbie set, or, you name it (depending on if you are male or female and whether you are from The Woodstock Generation or Gen. X).
As we matured, and hopefully gained some wisdom, we learned that giving was and is actually more fun. And then we (hopefully) evolved even further and discovered that giving a unique personalized type gift, was/is more exciting because it helps strengthen the bond in a friendship, reminding the other of commonalities, as it is human nature to ‘see more differences than alikeness”.
Gifts have been exchanged since the beginning of mankind. Grog probably gave Thorg a piece of dinosaur meat and later, to show mutual friendship, perhaps Thorg invented the wheel and gave Grog a copy of his prototype. But all that is history, or prehistory, as it were. Today the spirit of gift-giving is much more personal, especially though who have evolved enough to realize what our friends and other loved ones really mean to us.
It is a good thing to consider a gift that you give “an extension of you” because it really is. The closer a gift that you give to reflect your personality, and how you feel it is similar to the recipients personality, the more valuable the gift, not to mention memorable, no matter if it is a five dollar item or fifty thousand dollar.
i tend to use humor as a “coping mechanism” to get through the bumps that life offers and i tend to have friends who do similarly. We don’t only look at each other as close friends, but as “life rafts in a choppy ocean’ for each other, when the waters get rough. We live in a busy world, so it is not always easy to remember to pick up the phone or jot an email every few days and tell our friends how much we love them, admire their sense of humor, or any other term of endearment we might want to purvey, though that is not such a bad idea, and means much to many.
In our lightening-fast society of today we can celebrate milestone and occasions such as holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc., it gives us a chance to tell a significant other, or others how we value them in the way of a unique or funny gift. These gifts do not have to be expensive, and in fact, are often very inexpensive, though to the recipient, have more value than an expensive one, if real thought goes into it. It may be less than the cost of a movie ticket and often is.
Since I happen to be a cartoonist and collect offbeat cartoon merchandise, tees, mugs, etc., I greatly appreciate receiving funny cartoon T shirts, mouse pads, coffee mugs etc., by other cartoonists and sometimes even my own (from my own shops) that contain a personalized gift, from a fan, friend, or relative. I put them on my walls, my bookshelves, etc. and that friend has reminded me that we both share a very common bond, a kind of “mutual survivors club”, and humor is that bond and a very strong one at that.
I find that when I receive gifts such as these, all I need do, if thinking a negative thought, is look at one of the items, or put on a one of my favorite cartoon tees or caps, or even use a cartoon mouse pad, and I am feeling better immediately.
An even greater perk in funny-gift-giving, is that most online stores like this allow you to customize each item either free, and some of them up to two dollars. It’s a wonderful way to share a short engraved message, or even add one’s on URL to make it a most unique personalized corporate gift/ I happen to be drinking coffee as I type this, in one of my own mugs, from my superstore, with a great friend’s business URL who lives two thousand miles away, but has one of my own cartoons on it. He knows I’m going to use it more than my plain white mug. He sells ink cartridges and also knows my printer is right on my desk next to my mug. So who am I going to think of when it is time to order cartridges? He’s not just a good guy but a very savvy gift-giver.
Filed under: Advertising