163
votes
I gave a "gift" back to a friend after he asked for it back, and now he is trying to tax me for using it
This incident should really tell you everything you need to know about your friend. I mean .. he "stole" the grinder from someone else to begin with. And then he "stole" it back from you, further ...
- 17.1k
149
votes
Accepted
How do I clarify that the gift someone gave me is mine when they are asking for it back?
In my personal opinion it doesn't look like a gift. She said you can keep it, not it's yours. It looks more like a long term loan. The proof is also given from the fact that she said "bring MY camera"....
- 1,879
100
votes
Accepted
How can I convince my girlfriend not to worry about gifts I give her?
Is there any way I can convince my girlfriend that she should not worry about the gifts I give her?
Or should I accept that it makes her feel uneasy and stop giving her gifts?
You noted also
...
96
votes
Accepted
How to imply that the gift is meant for the two of us
Don't give the tickets, give an invitation to go to the concert together.
That way you will be making it clear what your gift is: attending the concert with you. Also, this leaves you still holding ...
- 4,931
90
votes
How to make a gift without seeming creepy?
I once had the same issue with an online friend. Since I have anxiety, I was very afraid that the person might react badly to me giving them a gift (feeling embarrassed and awkward).
To resolve this, ...
- 17.4k
74
votes
Can I give flowers to a feminist as a present for hosting a party?
Personally I think you are overthinking it. I have never given flowers and had them unappreciated. All those reasons you gave for giving flowers are good ones. I don't see how following feminism ...
- 1,308
72
votes
I gave a "gift" back to a friend after he asked for it back, and now he is trying to tax me for using it
In this situation, you have a person who:
Steals from one friend
Uses another friend to cover it up
Reneges on a "gift" when it is convenient for him
Rearranges the situation to suit ...
- 4,259
67
votes
How to find out if a party received your gift if it hasn't been somehow acknowledged?
In this case a simple...
How was the restaurant?
... should work.
Without saying which restaurant, if they haven't opened the box they'll be a little confused and ask "which restaurant?" At which ...
- 54.9k
62
votes
How do I clarify that the gift someone gave me is mine when they are asking for it back?
There's nothing inherently wrong or awkward in asking Jane directly whether the camera was a gift or not. However, as you yourself point out, it could be very awkward depending on the person you ask. ...
- 9,773
56
votes
Received a large monetary gift from an estranged grandparent - now what?
Write a kind letter, expressing appreciation for the gift.
It is very thoughtful of your grandfather to try to eliminate some of the hassles involved in the distribution of his estate after he passes....
- 24.8k
55
votes
How do I effectively forestall gifts for my birthday?
Have your friends bring only modest cards to wish you well.
I have a friend (USA) who threw her own birthday party, and invited all her friends. She too said "no gifts", but she mentioned that she ...
John♦
- 4,239
53
votes
How to make a gift without seeming creepy?
I'd suggest something similar to @Ælis' answer. However, I'd phrase it like:
You: I'm going to be in London for the big Poké event!
Her: Omgggg. Really?
... (Poké discussion here)
...
- 15.2k
46
votes
Should I monetarily reward the person who found my phone?
This is very difficult to answer since you don't know about the person who returned your phone.
Some people just like to help without expecting anything, so a thank you note is sufficient for them. ...
A J♦
- 7,732
45
votes
Accepted
Refusing gifts from an estranged relative
It's not clear from your question whether the estrangement is mutual, but either way, you've confused matters by leaving the gift for her. When there are issues between people, even without a full-on ...
- 17.2k
41
votes
How do I clarify that the gift someone gave me is mine when they are asking for it back?
How do I clarify that the camera is mine [...]?
You don't, assuming you want to remain friends with Jane.
You needed a camera. Jane gave you a camera she didn't think she needed any more, as a ...
- 1,809
40
votes
Accepted
How do I effectively forestall gifts for my birthday?
Giving money is hard for some people, 10 bucks can look like a lot less than a box full of towels from the dollar store that maybe cost you 5 bucks. Bringing nothing is even harder for some people. ...
- 8,520
35
votes
How do I effectively forestall gifts for my birthday?
Ask for consumables, e.g., food. Food will only clutter up your life until it is eaten.
You note that your calendar is pretty full, so experiences don't help. However, I assume that even with a full ...
- 543
33
votes
Accepted
Should I monetarily reward the person who found my phone?
Would the other person be waiting for some type of monetary retribution?
That's difficult to say, since the other person is unknown to you. It may very well be the other person is just acting out of ...
- 33.9k
32
votes
How can I convince my girlfriend not to worry about gifts I give her?
When you grow up with financial insecurity you learn certain attitudes and habits. It's likely been drilled into her to not spend "frivolously". Things like presents and games fall into this category ...
- 13.6k
30
votes
How can I find out what surprise my wife wants?
This:
Remember, asking isn’t enough as she genuinely doesn’t know herself what she wants. We had a row, and I asked her to give examples of the kind of thing she would have liked to do, and she ...
- 1,504
28
votes
How to talk to a person not sticking to the rules of a secret santa and disappointing the receiver of their gift?
Response to Edited Question.
When you say
Compared to the other participants, the giver would have had to spend more, in terms of percentage, of in-game money he currently has. (think, beggar ...
- 7,674
28
votes
How to imply that the gift is meant for the two of us
It's delicate, but I'd roughly say the following.
I've got two tickets to see this band, want to have one? Don't worry about the price, consider it a late birthday present. We can try grab a third ...
- 481
27
votes
Accepted
How to ask to pay for products from a friend's shop rather than accepting them as gifts without being rude?
Sometimes Lila would offer me something I wanted to buy for free, to which I awkwardly insisted in paying full price. Sometimes Mark would offer me a product with a discount, which I would often just ...
- 33.9k
26
votes
How to ask to pay for products from a friend's shop rather than accepting them as gifts without being rude?
I'd rather pay full-price for the things I get there, since it is still a business and I feel like I shouldn't have privileges over other clients, not to mention I can't help but think of how these ...
- 703
24
votes
Can I give flowers to a feminist as a present for hosting a party?
I don't think it should be a big deal, as you stated :
For such social events, we normally take flowers to the host in gratitude for the invitation.
So I take that, whomever the host is, you would ...
- 4,687
24
votes
Refusing gifts from an estranged relative
You buy her a gift which I’m sure you expect her to take and want but want her to know you don’t want her in your life and don’t want her gifts!
You say she takes weeks to respond to text messages... ...
- 357
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible