Dodging Christmas Gift Giving

[MikeB]

I still think mike "B's statement is a Winner

Just to be clear I am overly generous to the people who do work for us year-round, especially during the season, and they would be the first to say so. But I learned the hard way that giving out money to everyone who caterwauls “We wish you a Merry Christmas” from mid-Nov thru mid-Jan is wrong for many reasons. Do the locals do it? Of course not. If your own actions and behavior separate you from most of the rest of populace I don’t think you have any cause to complain about being treated “differently”, including being subjected to constant begging and overcharging.

[scott h]

On a serious note, with the exception of close loved ones, it has been my observation that folks just give cash in an envelope and it is entirely accepted. Like was said above, I NEVER give money to anyone who just says Merry Christmas. Took me awhile to realized it was more than just a season greeting :1 (103): . I do however give to those I regularly do business with such as my barber , our pedicurist, our favorite pedicab driver, the handyman, folks like that.

 

One (ill call it a scam) that they have here are the garbage collectors. They appear at the gate with a grubby envelope (each truck is considered a crew). Asking for Christmas gift. My solution is to give a small amount of cash to the first batch, take the envelop and show it to all the other crews that show up, saying. "i have given already"

[Dave Hounddriver]

 Saying I give all the money to my wife is a white lie but it works unless the wife is with me to call bullchit.

 

oops . . . last night 'the wife' and I were at the boulevard to get a couple of 50 peso massages.  A couple of ladies who made a pretense of being carolers (sang for 5 secs, said Merry Christmas and stuck hand in face) came to us.  First they tried 'the wife' and she said something in Bisaya so they came to me.  I said I give all the money to my wife and they went away in a huff.  Later I asked 'the wife' what she had said.  She said: My husband handles all the money so you will have to go to him.

 

Anyway, they went away peeved but at least they went away.

[Kuya John]

I said I give all the money to my wife and they went away in a huff. Later I asked 'the wife' what she had said. She said: My husband handles all the money so you will have to go to him.

Nice one Dave

I normally turn my trouser pockets out and point to the wife and say "Ammo"  :mocking: 

[Julia]

I always say " same as last year"........( which was nothing ).

 

that, my friend, would surely work for me,,,haha..funny but I can definitely use that line to some people who had never been kind to me throughout the  year yet they would ask that "ubiquitous question" as Mr. Gator calls it.

 

but sometimes, my reply would be "prayer. i would include you in my prayer that you may live an abundant life and that you will stay blessed. isn't that a great gift", just say it with a laugh like it was just a joke. but in all honesty, I only give Christmas gifts to those who deserve it and most especially those who the needy. I would join this certain group who annualy give gifts to the street children, the orphan and the less privilege. Never forget my bestfriends of course and my family and all those I have regular business too like the waterboy, the janitors, the security guards who occasionally assist me when I am carrying heavy stuffs and who offered their umbrella when it is raining. It is hard to forget one's kindness. But I am just a human, I forgive but just couldn't forget those who had been just nasty and those who did nothing but set a bad example of things :no: . I guess this is why Santa Claus :santa laugh:  had this list of those who had been naughty and who had been nice, now I finally understand why :mocking: .

But the best thing about this gift giving is when give it unexpectedly to a less privilege stranger . The happiness it brings to us when you see their surprised faces and you could see how happy they were. Ahhh, it feels so goooooooooooood to give. Isn't it nice that we could stay a blessing to others?. That is the spirit of Christmas. It is about giving and sharing what we could have possibly share.

 

:xmas_tree_5435f: :merrychristmas: :xmas_tree_5435f:

Edited December 21, 2014 by TamXy

[Gerald Glatt]

Everyone knows it is better to give than receive,  so reverse your pockets and stick out your hand and volunteer to make the sacrifice of receiving.  They may then feel so good abut themselves, and you will have funds for another SM  

[Dave Hounddriver]

Everyone knows it is better to give than receive

 

This is one of the sayings where something gets lost in the translation to Tagalog or Cebuano.  People seem to think that sticking their hand in my face will encourage me to give and feel good.  It would help if they could learn that the good feeling of giving comes when it is not asked for, not expected (or demanded), and given from the heart more than the wallet.  For these reasons, Christmas long ago ceased to be a good season for me.  It is more about the profit making season for the retail stores.  

[Thomas]

I have solved it by not being there around Christmas   :lol:

At distance I offer them DIGITAL EDUCATION books, which I have bought sell rights too. Few of the Filipins, who ASK for Christmas gifts, want education books ! :mocking:

But it will be harder, when I settle there. But I will be some assisted by after a while I will settle faaaaar from neighbours...

 

I don't like to give to "Christmas beggars" = them who manage themselves normaly, but EXPECT me to give to them at Christmas, so I suppouse. I will ask what my gf > wife think, but I want to skip them.

 

I like the idea Bruce made (I believe it was NOT Christmas)

Gave a bag of rice to each tricycle driver in that town.

 

I suppouse I will give something to CLOSEST part of family-in-law, although it's rather big...   :unsure:    :) 

Depending of where I will settle, but I suppouse I will give something to HOUSEHOLDS in the closest village. (E g a bag of rice or a chicken per household.) I hope it will be a small village :mocking:      Or perhaps give some toys/sport equipment to the local elementary school.  Or if there are an orphanage in the neighbourhood...          Then I can use that as argument against "Christmas beggars"...

[Ashanti]

 

 Saying I give all the money to my wife is a white lie but it works unless the wife is with me to call bullchit.

 

oops . . . last night 'the wife' and I were at the boulevard to get a couple of 50 peso massages.  A couple of ladies who made a pretense of being carolers (sang for 5 secs, said Merry Christmas and stuck hand in face) came to us.  First they tried 'the wife' and she said something in Bisaya so they came to me.  I said I give all the money to my wife and they went away in a huff.  Later I asked 'the wife' what she had said.  She said: My husband handles all the money so you will have to go to him.

 

Anyway, they went away peeved but at least they went away.

 

 

ha ha ............ a real, double act .............   :lol:

[Ashanti]

im filipina but i will never dare to visit PI on the "BER" months - nevermine December  :lol: