wahlau's online hut

after being complained by andi, i've decided to write something. i do think no blog as a sign of being busy and occupied, though i do not know what others might perceive ;)

while reading through some usual feeds, i noticed the blog from Seth very true:

"Christmas has become a holiday about shopping, not about giving. Case in point: the $100 gift card, now available from banks, from stores, even in a rack at the supermarket.

Last year, more than $8,000,000,000 was wasted on these cards. Not in the value spent, but in fees and breakage. When you give a card, if it doesn't get used, someone ends up keeping your money, and it's not the recipient. People spent more than eight billion dollars for nothing... buying a product that isn't as good as cash.

Along the way, we bought the story that giving someone a hundred dollar bill as a gift ("go buy what you want") is callous, insensitive, a crass shortcut. Buying them a $100 Best Buy card, on the other hand, is thoughtful. Even if they spend $92 and have to waste the rest."

I am always bad in choosing the right gift for people. I think this has something to do with my views. Or other words, something is wrong with me. I am far too practical - why buy something just to decorate his door for the next 2 weeks? Why a CD that you only listen to it twice a week now, and twice a year soon? What on earth should he do with the new pairs of fanciful slippers?

I end up suggesting a nice gift voucher, so that the person can buy his own things.

I noticed this can be more convenient than you can imagine. No no, it does not mean the gift giver is too lazy when he hand you a gift voucher worth $20. It is actually a great sign that you have really a blessed life, that others cannot really figure what you really need now. So why not a voucher, which you can use to buy something you need (hopefully) sometime later, and you still get a nice gift after all. At this point i don't think gift vouchers are bad idea at all. The bad part, belongs to the marketters - gift vouchers are sold and not refundable.

you now will go shouting at me saying "of course they are not refundable! they are sold products dude!". yes i know that, but that is exactly why i agree with Seth. when i have a $20 voucher, i must go ahead and make a purchase that costs at least $20 latest before the expiry date of the voucher. There would be 2 scenarios - either i find something i need that worth more than $20, or not. When not, i bound to try to figure out how i can make use of the change, to get something else that i might hopefully need. At such situations, you usually create the need. It goes the same when an Ebay seller says "save on delivery when you buy more than one product from me". You will spend minutes or hours to pick another product that you believe you might need sometime later, to save on delivery costs.

at the end of the day, the seller wins (he sold more) and you win (you have more assets).

This is where exactly i find not so right. We should not be pushed and made believe that we must figure out some needs. If we need something, we get it. There is no need to rationalize and thought over days after days. i knew it when i visit and revisit a certain products to compare and consider, and that is a sign that i might be finding reasons to justify my purchase. How many times do you spend more than 5 minutes to decide whether you need to get a tooth paste or not? When you need it, you just get it. simple.

For us who are living in comfort now, we often create needs as time goes. We think there are ways to improve our lives. We think the room needs another new painting. Kitchen is slowly whispering to us for a new appliance. Not all are evil, but we should be careful and be aware of such danger. If influence such as a gift voucher comes in, you might end up buying more stuffs that you actually need. Reason - the voucher (and its worth) will go to waste if i do not do anything.

What is wrong if i really cannot buy anything at the end of the day? Why can't i just return the voucher to get the $20 out, and keep it in my piggy bank until a day where i can finally use it? Why can't i just use the $20 amazon voucher to get something in the bakery next door, keep the change and enjoy a hearty nice breakfast?

this brought me back to the good old chinese tradition. As a child, i usually look forward to receive 红包 （Angpao or red packets) from parent and relatives. I still do now, but no longer am i eligible :) But the main reason behind is not for the money. The thoughts of them giving us something with two meanings - monetary gifts for us to use when needed, and the blessings they wished on us all. Most of the time, majority of the sum will go to saving, while a small portion will be used to satisfy my long awaited dreams - some fanciful toys or perhaps nice snack/food. But there is no need to be afraid that the red packets will expire after 365 days. They are around when i need it. Is that not the real reason why they were given to us? to be used when i need it?

hence the statement in Seth's blog "... callous, insensitive, a crass shortcut...." reminded me how many of us now think giving out cash gifts is inappriopriate. At least among chinese this is still not really a problem - an Angpao means always a good thing for many occasions. But apart from them, we usually will not be able to avoid such thoughts, both as givers and receipients. Is it really true that our mind has evolved so far, that we start to value gifts apart from the thoughts behind them? Would we be angry or dissapointed, when a person gave only $5 or $5's worth of gift, instead of $20?

Christmas is coming soon. Perhaps this will give us some good time and chance for thoughts, while we prepare gifts for friends and love ones.

oh, no need to crack your heads for me. I don't need cash or gift. thanks ;)