As I prepare for my twin boys’ 2nd bday party tomorrow (OMG. Where did my little babies go!?), I find myself putting off wrapping their presents until the last minute. I refuse to just throw their gifts into bags and throw some tissue paper on top and call it a day. Where’s the fun for them in opening that? So the wrapping will get done today. Eventually.
So what is your preference when giving and receiving presents? When did it become the “norm” to stick gifts in a bag? I don’t remember this happening when I was a little girl. Nothing was more fun than ripping the paper off of a gift! In my opinion, gift bags are the result of our increasingly lazy society. Isn’t that why we use gift bags? It’s quicker and easier. Am I the only one who still wraps presents anymore?
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A 2013 post on a community discussion board by ahill1000
Those twins will turn 8 this year. If anything, the use of gift bags over gift wrap has proliferated. The post generated dozens of responses, proving that people have definite opinions of how they prefer to receive gifts.
If gift wrapping can make a positive difference, imagine how a gifting event can impact the memorability of a corporate reward. “If I just throw a gift in your room, the connection is just not that emotional,” says Brett Hatch, senior director of global corporate gifts for Maui Jim.
The event experience adds value to the gift. A pair of sunglasses, watch or apparel becomes a tangible way of reliving an incentive trip or sales meeting with colleagues.
An added benefit of gifting events is that they eliminate the pressure of selecting the right item for all participants. By providing a half-dozen or more options of items or styles, sponsoring companies are more likely to see recipients using their gift or reward a year later when they get to do it all over again.
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