Our author Lyubov Vysotskaya appreciated the scale of the disaster when she began to dismantle the cabinets. Gifts are visible and invisible there. And all unnecessary, useless, littering the house. Surely you have such.
We moved here. Of course, no worse than a fire, but still there was a reason to scoop out from the depths of the cabinets everything that had been acquired over the past ten years by overwork.
The count of boxes and bags taken out in the trash heap was lost on the second day of collection. What do you think constituted the lion’s share of the trash? Bingo! Gifts!
I remember how at the dawn of my youth, about 15 years ago, my future husband and I went to one of our friends for a birthday. There was not much money, there was not enough time to buy something either – the session was in full swing. While we were waiting for the minibus, we dropped into a shop from the series “a thousand little things for three rubles” at a bus stop. We bought a “most elegant” revolver lighter (don’t ask why, my friend neither smoked nor smoked). Gave it, got a portion of duty delights …
Do you think this is the whole story? No no. Half an hour later, another guest arrived. And yes! – presented exactly the same lighter.
So, going back to our days. It looks like karma has overtaken me like a boomerang. All kinds of presents were not in my bins. Icons embroidered with beads (my husband and I are not so religious, and it’s impossible, they say, to give icons), some embroidered picture with stones and beads, palms and eyes from the evil eye from Israel, about 30 fridge magnets (built-in, yeah) … Candles in the form of a service, candles in the form of apples, candles in the form of houses, candles in the form of candles …
Do you know what’s the worst thing? All these things were given by close people. Relatives, friends. Icons are generally a mother-in-law. And it’s a pity to throw it away, and the hand does not rise. But you will never use this either.
What else is in the top of the fact that the hand did not rise to take away in the trash?
Postcards. Since school years. From classmates, then from colleagues, again, relatives. A separate stack of wedding cards. And also postcards-envelopes – a low sincere bow to those who do not sign them, at least they can be used a second time for their intended purpose. But no, many feel obliged to put a date and write a surname under the verses in a postcard. Do you think they give me so many envelopes that I will definitely forget from whom without a signature? Don’t worry, I have a good memory.
Soft toys. I am disingenuous, here the hand went up. At least for musical ones. I’m tired of the fact that from time to time different songs begin to sound from the depths of the closet. I left five of them – each has its own story, and I am sorry to throw them away: one teddy bear was presented for the birth of a son, the second was brought by my grandmother, and this was her last gift. But, to be honest, I would have done just fine without them. Dust collectors, and nothing more.
Spoons. Gilded, cupronickel and others. I’ll make a reservation right away that if it were a rarity that was inherited, it would be a separate conversation. Family heirlooms and all. New-builds, in my opinion, firstly, do not have much value, and secondly, they are not needed on the farm. Here, of course, a matter of taste. But if you see that a person does not have anything semi-antique at home, it is already clear: he does not like this. Why donate?
DIY gifts. Yes, I also read articles where it is written that a thing made with my own hand is doubly pleasant. But! You have to adequately assess your talents. It’s one thing when you give a picture that you have painted yourself. Handmade soap. Handmade sweets. It seems like a hobby, but done professionally and with soul. And it is completely different – when you bought a coloring by numbers, painted and presented. And the stress seemed to be relieved, and they saved on the gift. Or like that beadwork: you don’t need to buy a contour with a ready-made pattern and sew specific details of a lot of work or talent on it. For myself – great, but why give it? After all, there is neither your soul nor your imagination here. And you can’t hang this on the wall.
Piggy banks. We had four of them at home. It seems to me that a more irrelevant gift (if it is not for a child) can no longer be found. Electronic wallets have eliminated the need for change. The one that is, does not accumulate as a dead weight, but lies in an elegant box – from there you can quickly take coins for travel or for a trolley in a supermarket. I threw it out, not regretting it.
By the way, three of the four piggy banks are ceramic figurines – symbols of the new year… And that deserves a separate paragraph. For ten years I have accumulated three pigs (a piggy bank, a plush one and a plastic one), two dogs, two mice … The year of the Snake turned out to be a record year – I found six of its symbols at home in different versions. Please stop! Stop!
Artificial flowers. In the mid-90s, the parents’ entire apartment was decorated like this. It is now clear that this is bad form. It is believed that such bouquets are only suitable for a cemetery. And the house will attract sickness and misfortune. I will not say about the latter, but the dust will be attracted for sure.
What is included in your personal rating of useless gifts that collect dust at home? Share?