In a few weeks there is Christmas, and before it a lot of Christmas parties with friends, at which each of us gets a Christmas present in advance. For sure, like me, you are looking forward to something what will please you and make you smile and full of joy. However, what if the giver doesn´t guess right and instead of smile your features stiffen up and your eyes say even on long distance something like: “Oh, my god, you don´t know me at all, what am I going to do with it, is the gift really for me?“ Exactly for these cases I have decided to write you a crib about how to become a professional in receiving even the gifts, which could be called without hesitating your nightmare.
Well, imagine, that you are going to unwrap the nicely wrapped Christmas gift, next to you there is the excited giver waiting for your reaction. You unwrap it and you are shocked. How to keep a pleasant expression on your face and not to show any emotions, when you see for example a gift voucher for slimming program inside the beautiful paper and you don´t feel like losing weight at the moment or a perfume which smell is so old-fashioned, that even your seventy years old grandma wouldn´t use it or so called “softie“, which was in fashion maybe 15 years ago and on top of that it is two sizes smaller than your actual size?
As the first aid you might use the thought:
Peace, it´s only a gift, nothing more. Immediately after that just admit, that the giver wanted to make you happy, and he or she only messed it up. So, try to keep a poker face, remember some pleasant moments with him or her, admit that he or she had to think the gift over, go and buy it, pay for it, wrap it and bring it to you, which on its own is not little effort, what do you think? He or she for sure deserves to hear “Thank you” at least. But what else?
- Then something like “an interesting gift” may follow. Is there a story behind it? Maybe you will be surprised, how the concerned one came to buying you such a present and he or she will be forgiven. • Or name the gift and say thank you. I mean for example: “Wow, a scarf, thank you!”
- Another variant could be “Many thanks, it´s a generous gift. “ Make sure to smile and not to sound sarcastic.
- If you are in a bigger group, let the gift go around so that all the others can admire it and the giver concentrates on somebody else, not on you.
- Be interested in the gift, read the instructions for example, you will get time and you won´t need to look for other words to express admiration and thanks.
- Another thing which can save you – if other participants are waiting for gifts opening, invite them to continue in unwrapping and you will cleverly divert attention from your current fight with disappointment.
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