How to avoid gifts

Instead of a gift guide let's just sidestep the whole hullabaloo.

Gifts have always stressed me out — the obligation, the time crunch, the pressure to get it just right, the embarrassment if you sense the recipient doesn’t love it.

Giving and receiving are equally stressful to me. For me, receiving a gift is like suddenly receiving a little job: Here, now you own this thing. Come up with a plan for using it, storing it, and demonstrating adequate appreciation.

Your new job is coming! Source

I’m not an asshole, I promise. I love the people in my life dearly, and I enjoy being thoughtful and demonstrating someone is important to me. Sometimes this even takes the form of giving objects. I’m an “acts of service” person, and helping someone meet their goals is my favorite thing. Sometimes that means surprising someone with an item they’ve been searching for (yes, a gift!). But that’s as far as I like to go into gifting territory.

I understand some people really do love giving gifts and get sad or frustrated if denied the chance to gift. I don’t begrudge p…