Photo courtesy of Cayobo
We all want to save money over the holidays. But just as there is a fine line between being frugal and being cheap, there is a hair's breadth of difference between being a mensch and being a grinch when it comes to gift giving. Double check your "creative" gifting plans to see if you are heading towards grinch territory.
Here's a handy guide:
Mensch-Like: Giving your nephew the antique clock that belonged to your grandfather.
Grinch-Like: Re-gifting the light-up Rudolph sweater to Aunt Ella, who gave it to you last year.
Mensch-Like: Giving your best friend two
tickets to her favorite local band.
Grinch-Like: Giving your best friend two
tickets to your favorite local band.
Mensch-Like: Making a coupon book of chores
that your spouse can redeem any time over the next year.
Grinch-Like: Making a "World's Best
Spouse" certificate for your sweetie. In crayon.
Mensch-Like: Searching for great deals
on Black Friday.
Grinch-Like: Trampling over other
shoppers, employees and little old ladies on Black Friday just to play tug-of-war
over the last $3 crockpot in the store. And you're not even sure who you plan to give the crockpot to.
Mensch-Like: Knitting a scarf for dear
old Mom.
Grinch-Like: Knitting a scarf for Mom
when you don't know how to knit so that the scarf unravels when you remove it from
your needles and the only yarn you have is an odd oatmeal color that would
look terrible on anyone but you know your mom will have to ooh and aah over it because she's your mom.
You, too, can have a mensch-like season of giving as long as you remember that it's the thought that counts. Unless the thought is "She won't notice that it's an irregular sweater."
