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Did you receive any really curious gifts over Christmas? The gifts we're given sometimes say a lot more about the giver(s) than they do about us. I decided to take a closer look at a few of my Christmas gifts and carry out a little analysis, based upon some of the principles used to select the unique and unusual gifts on offer at ShopCurious.
1) Book entitled Liberty by Garrison Keillor:- The curiously colourful and arty cover is certainly impressive and definitely gets my vote. The giver must know that I've rather a soft spot for Keillor’s quirky fictional community of Lake Wobegon, otherwise the choice of author seems a little off-beat, or perhaps I should say unique. Not a signed collectors’ edition and will probably be read once only, but afterwards, can always be passed on to friends, relatives, a charity shop, or the local recycling centre. Should be an entertaining read... I'll let you know.
2) Buckingham Palace soap-dish and facecloth:- This certainly made me laugh, especially as it’s so typical of the givers – no, not the Queen and Prince Philip, but let us call them Lord and Lady B. The soap actually smells rather nice, in an undistinguished, soapy sort of way - and this would look great in a country/seaside cottage. I’m not sure quite how it will work in a modern apartment – but perhaps it’s something for the guest loo… Not of immediate investment value, but maybe one for the time capsule?
3) Cream bangle bearing the words ‘frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn’ (also bearing a rather regal crown logo – what does this say about me?) :- This bracelet has instant amusement appeal, especially as it’s curiously appropriate to wear whilst toiling over the Christmas lunch. I have a feeling this may be one of those expensive designer accessories that’s probably much sought after in certain circles, but once worn and seen by everybody, the joke may start to wear a little thin. Perhaps the giver was motivated by one of my six secrets of timeless style: "Don’t give a damn about what anyone else thinks – what you wear is entirely up to you - your personal style is timeless." As for longevity, this item may have limited value as vintage plastic-posing-as-scrimshaw costume jewellery in decades to come.
4) Ion activated liquid heat pack for shoulders and neck:- This is a really useful gift for someone who sits for hours on end in front of a computer, or insists upon subjecting their body to grueling exercise classes. As I'm guilty of both these pastimes, this will be very much appreciated (plus it could also double up as a hot water bottle during the freezing weather). And it's also divinely lavender-scented. The pack is activated by pressing a disc inside, whereupon a chemical reaction takes place and the liquid inside gets hot, staying warm for half an hour or so. The pack then has to be boiled to de-solidify the contents before using again. That sounds a little inconvenient – and I guess this is something of a depreciating asset, as it will suffer some deterioration at every boiling and eventually have to be thrown away … hmm, despite the ‘natural ingredients’, I’m not sure exactly how eco-friendly this one is.
5) Silk scarf, designed by Grayson Perry for the Tate Modern:- Wow! This gift is curiously cool, quirky, cultured, fabulously arty and amusing! Apparently, in the Second World War, pilots were given maps printed on silk to help them escape if they were shot down over enemy territory. The scarf is billed as a ‘social and cultural map to help aspiring artists navigate the hostile territory on their way to being accepted by the establishment’ – and depicts the many famous artists who can help them live along the route.
More than a tad autobiographical, this scarf is a work of art, with provenance and real investment potential – so possibly already selling at a premium on eBay. A collectors’ item, rather than something to wear, this timeless piece (so long as it’s not eaten by moths or dribbled with soup), wins hands down over some of my other gifts – as can be seen below (marks out of 5 in each category):
| Book | Soap dish | Bangle | Heat pack | Silk scarf | |
| Unique | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Practical | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Timeless | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Curious/quirky | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Investment potential | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Amusement factor | 4? | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
All scores subjective (try it yourself)
Not wishing to lose any friends, I'd better point out that, ultimately, it’s not the gift that counts, but the thought. I'd like to sincerely thank the givers referred to above: You know I love you all dearly - and I'm looking forward to many more of your distinctively different gifts in years to come … though, curiously, I tend to find there’s often more pleasure in the giving than the receiving.
Do you?
