Carol McGiffin
Wise words from our feisty, fearless and funny columnist
‘Idon’t want to sound ungrateful – but I hope I don’t get a single thing for Christmas. I’ve never been a present type of person – neither a giver nor a receiver of them. And, as much as I try to convince people that I don’t want anything, they never listen – and I end up with more ‘stuff’ I neither need nor want.
I know people think they’re being kind, but what they’re actually doing is creating tons of waste, which isn’t only bad for the environment because of all the energy and materials used in production – not to mention the shipping and wrapping, but it’s stuff that just clutters up your home – because you feel too guilty to give it away.
But, for once, I’m not in the minority, because a recent survey by What We Want found that more than half of people questioned admitted to receiving gifts they didn’t like or want, and a third admitted to simply throwing them in the bin. Plus, the whole present culture is just riddled with danger. Like when you have to open gifts you don’t want, in front of people who’ve bought them. I’m not a good actor, so it’s not easy for me to look thrilled when I’m clearly not! Some people’s ideas of what make ‘good gifts’ really wind me up.
It’s all just rubbish.
Perfume you hate, socks you can only wear on Christmas Day, jumpers your gran wouldn’t entertain or jewellery even the charity shop won’t take, whatever it is – just stop it. And, in future, think about presence with a ‘c’ rather than presents with a ‘t’.