Are you more of a giver or a taker in terms of buying/receiving gifts?

Definitely giving. I like thinking about what to get somone, then planning the gift, getting it, and then finally giving it and seeing their reaction.

It feels so good to be a giver.
But, I do like receive gifts too.

People give me gifts every day. They do things for me and with me. I don’t need anything else, nor even want anything else, even if it is my birthday. I am grateful for touch and hugs. No excuse is needed. Just that we are here, together. That’s enough.

I feel special because I feel special. I feel special because I spent many years not feeling special. Birthdays and gifts never helped then. They don’t help now. The look in her eye is what helps. The letters I receive from my kids; the emails from my online friends.

To see what I feel mirrored in them; to be thanked; encouraged—tell me you like me or appreciate me, and I’ll redouble my efforts to please you. It’s all I want. To be appreciated. When you appreciate me, you are giving me a bigger gift than anything I ever did to earn your appreciation.

I get more joy in giving, so does my wife. It works out perfectly.

Giver.

I love presents, giving and receiving. Whenever I get my wife gifts I can’t wait until the actual celebration day. I always want to give them to her right away. She never wants to open them early. Pssh.

I love getting presents and surprises but I believe I enjoy giving more. I keep a flash drive of stuff I run across and earmark for particular people, sometimes I can afford it and that’s the best.

I was thinking this question not in giftgiving, but just life in general the other day.

I am a giver.!!!!

I love hugs, giving and taking them. When I get presents I always think “oh thingy would really love this”. And I really try to make an effort for friends’ birthdays and make stuff or spend way too much at xmas. But I love getting presents too.

I am almost solely a giver. I give gifts to my sons and their families, but I can’t recall receiving any from them.

Oh, wait, my DIL’s mother gave me a gift a couple of years ago.

I know I am a giver…but I have been absolutely humbled by gifts I have been given! ;)

It seems unanimous!

@Dr_Lawrence Possibly because no taker is going to admit it.

Definitely a giver. I love making and sometimes buying gifts. Of course i looooove receiving gifts too, but that seldom happens except on b’days and christmas, and then some people that i’d give a gift to under those circumstances never return the favour. It sucks because i love received gifts and surprises, but oh well. Giving gifts gives me an excuse to make something cute, which i enjoy very much. When someone never returns the favour, i tell myself “well bugger you, that’s the last time i’ll ever spend money and time on you”, but then most often my desire to make or put together a cute gift wins again, haha.

When the perfect gift is given, the joy shown by the receiver is worth more than something tangible. Here are 2 examples:
* The fondue pot given to a niece. She sent photos of the party she and her SO had with friends using it. (cost $20)
* A glass candy bowl/lid filled with fond memories of Mom/Grammy on slips of paper. I sent an e-mail to the siblings asking for 25 memories of her and to the grandchildren asking for 5. They were printed out on paper with their names next to each, cut into slips, folded and put in the bowl. We gave it to her for her birthday. Not only did she love it, but so did we. (cost $25 and a bit of time to put it together; value – priceless)

I’m much more of a giver. I expend a great deal of thought, effort and money to make sure that the gifts that I give will be one-of-a-kind special and a perfect fit for the intended recipient. To that end, I often start shopping for Christmas gifts around June.

Taking things from people makes me extremely uncomfortable. I am a giver totally.