Regarding gift giving,does everyone buy into this "it's the thought that counts"?

Question

Would a woman like it if her man bought her a vacuum cleaner for Christmas? Conversely,would an overweight man like it if his woman bought him a DVD on how to lose weight?

People,these are just examples I'm giving.I'm not a woman and I'm not a man who's fat.

Answer 1

It is not the thought that counts, It is the thoughtfulness used when picking the gift that matters.

Answer 2

To me, that phrase does not apply if the person I received it from has bad or self-centered motives, like the vacuum cleaner. I would not even THINK to buy a dvd on how to lose weight. I just accept the size that people are. I have to admit that I have some extra weight, and my body fat percentage is a percent or two higher than the higher end of my range. It's not enough to harm my health, but it's enough to not fit in some of my favorite outfits.
When giving, I prefer to think of something that a person would enjoy. It does not matter what I think! If the person I give something to doesn't like it, then it means I wished I had picked out something different. I believe in going by the person's taste, not mine. But I won't get anyting that I feel would harm a person, however, such as drugs, or if I know someone has an alcohol problem, I won't buy them alcohol.

That's a very valid question you ask, and with the examples.

To me, the phrase "The thought that counts" should strictly mean that the giver had put some SERIOUS thought into what gift the RECEIVER may like and appreciate. And the receiver be grateful for the gift as long as it's not something offensive (offensive meaning that the giver has ulterior motives that's not good!)

Answer 3

Actually, sometimes it is the thoughts that count more than the present. If a woman got a vacuum cleaner she might really want one and so it was a good thought. If the fat guy got the lose weight dvd, could mean someone cares enough to want to see him in better health. But, i've gotten my share of household or cleaning gizmos and i NEVER liked it b/c it was not personal, i felt it was about my place to do chores and didn't appreciate it. I would have prefered presents of sorts that i may not get for myself but said, you are special and this whimsical gift is special for you. Even a poem is so much more special than a vacuum cuz i can get the vacuum myself but a poem says you love and care for me and thats alot of thoughts that count. So, i suppose it depends on the giver and the receiver situation.

Answer 4

A woman would like getting a vacuum for Christmas ONLY if that is what she asked for. The same with the 'overweight man' and a DVD on losing weight. A person has his/her own 'wants' and the best gifts should at least TRY to fit that list, no matter HOW OLD they are. In fact, the older they are, the MORE their lists should be honored. I want a button up bathrobe and a pair of new slippers, and that is what I am getting. My husband wants an HDTV, and that is what he's getting ... and I'll get to be really comfortable when we are watching it, won't I?

Answer 5

You know I would really like to believe "its the thought that counts" but its not. You will be seen as a cheap person if you give someone a lame gift. That's just a fact.

Lets look at the other side of this argument. You can make it a thoughtful gift if, You give the overweight man a video card telling him how much you love him and you don't want him to die of a heart attack or something. Then give him the workout DVD and tell him we will work out together everyday. So that's the catch. There is always a way to sweeten up the deal to make it look like "its the thought that counts"

Reality is don't be cheap give really cool gifts or don't give anything at all. Because that thought that counts thing is a load of Bull. My wife would slap me if I got here pots and pans for xmas. lol

Cheers have a good one friend.

Answer 6

I think it depends on who is giving the gift. Honestly, I'd be thrilled if my husband bought me a vacuum cleaner because the one we have is in rough shape and we need one. If I was overweight and he bought me a DVD on how to lose weight, I'd probably look for a new man...because that's not a gift that required thought, but a thoughtless gift.

On the other hand, when my mother's aunt gives me a wallet every Christmas, there wasn't much thought put into the gift, but the fact that she thought enough to give me a gift at all is the true gift. I don't particularly care for the wallets, but it is "the thought that counts."

Answer 7

I would say your examples are perfect representations of a lack of forethought. Unless the woman wanted a vacuum cleaner or the man wanted a weight loss DVD, the only thought is what the giver wanted not the receiver.

I would take the gift of a vacuum cleaner to mean that you want me to clean the house better. There was no thought whatsoever as to what I would want, but what you would want.

Same with the overweight man. He would probably take that to mean you wanted him to lose weight as a New Year's resolution. It has nothing to do with what he wants.

Now, in both situations discussions are probably in order, but not in the guise of a gift. The husband should probably have a chat with his wife about the housecleaning, but if he's not pulling his own weight, he better watch out. Likewise if the wife is worried about her husbands expanding waist line, tell him. Chances are he's concerned too.

Answer 8

The term "it's the thought that counts" and giving an insulting gift are two different things! I know that if I got a vacuum for x-mas, I'd take it offensively... And so would the over-weight man with a weight loss video.
"It's the thought that counts" is reffered to something small, like a candle for instance. Or just a simple movie for the fat man.

Answer 9

I fell for that years ago when short of money one Christmas I bought my then girlfriend an expensive set of saucepans for Christmas.
She wanted a nice set, as she has always said, though hated me for it.
A few years later, after we married and divorced, I am now the proud owner of those saucepans because I use them every day and cook wonderful meals.
- She gave them to me back to me - and I know know what the sad old woman was missing after all these years.
Takeaways and ready meals.
There's no pleasing some people.
I bought my first ever girlfriend a funny soap on a rope, not that I ever was intimate, as I was 15 at the time, but it was in the shape of a mans thing.... I never asked if she used it, or indeed needed to, but again, that went down like a bag of potatoes.
...Yet somehow as a teenager, I would always get a set of three hankies every year from my Nan and always thank her regardless.
Little did I know her reason for her grin until many years later.
Some people just don't deserve prezzies.

Answer 10

lol it depends. if its a meaningful gift then yeah the thought counts and not the price. if its something that you would never lose and then no that would suck. A vacuum cleaner would be a nice gift depending on the woman. some women want stuff like that. But i dont think anyone overweight would wanta dvd on how to lose weight that has thought but not good ones.

Answer 11

Well, you could look at it from this perspective:
If its "the thought that counts", then someone should be "thoughtful" when buying the gift. I think gifts matter more when they have been done tastefully, and with thought, as opposed to just some random gift.
If the gift giver put some extra time and effort into something "thoughtful" then the gift is usually better, regardless of price.
But no, sometimes gifts can be so bad that it is better to not recieve a gift at all, so personally, I guess just because you buy a gift doesn't mean it counts. For me anyway.