Gifts Kept Instead of Given

Gifts are often given with the hope that the recipient will love it. But there are some occasions where the reverse happens gifts that we keep thinking about keeping, instead of giving them away. Emotional and often quite relatable, these kept gifts often hold a sentimental value far beyond what the item itself is worth.

Valuable Insights from Personal Experiences

When I had a beautiful basket that I cherished, I thought of it as a gift basket. I was eager for the giver to return the gift, even as the contents were the real gift. But I lacked the courage to ask for it. For a while, it was in my sister's living room, then it appeared at my niece's house, which was heart-wrenching, before finally returning to my mother's bedroom.

Kept gifts didn't just stop there. In 2022, when my mother passed away, I realized that if my sister had opened that basket on Christmas morning and returned it, it would have brought an unnecessary grief. Thankfully, it had been passed on and was now a cherished item, ever reminding me of my mother.

Personal Anecdotes of Gift Keeping

Even more outrageous was a closet-to-getters sweatshirt. The story began when I was on vacation in Phoenix, Arizona, where I bought a large sweatshirt for my sister. I thought it was oversized and unlikely to be her style. But when I decided to hang onto it, who could have predicted her reaction later? She saw me wearing it and commented that she didn't like it. I'm glad I kept it.

More recently, I bought an oversized sweatshirt for my sister during a vacation, but later decided she might not like it due to its size. In fact, my sister found it oversized and not to her taste. It’s a relief I didn't give it to her as a gift, as it would have brought heartache.

Rare Instances and Generosity

It's rare for me to keep gifts that I have bought for others. Once only, I recall keeping an oversized sweatshirt because I believed it was too big for her. Preferring to be generous, I often find myself giving gifts away that I intended to keep for myself.

Reflecting on Past Generosity

As a teenager, I bought a handmade sewing supplies container for my boyfriend's sister as a birthday gift. The container could fold open to reveal three layers of drawers. While I still wish I had it now, it was a rare instance of keeping a gift that could have been for me. Another teen memory is of giving my sister a car stereo and speakers that I had bought for myself. This tendency towards generosity has lasted over the decades.

Gift keeping is a complex act of balancing personal preferences with the expectations of the recipients. The stories above reflect the personal and sometimes awkward realities of gift giving and receiving.

Conclusion

Gifts, whether they are kept or given away, come with their own unique sets of emotions. Whether it's the gift you wished you could take back or a gift that reminds you of cherished memories, each one carries a story. Often, it's the stories behind these gifts that make them so meaningful.