Where do you draw the line on gift giving?

While we were running the October Challenge, Anne, one of our participants asked a question about where to draw the line on gifts.

What I’m getting stuck on is what to do about school staff. I was already thinking of making some baked goods to be easier on my budget but my question is where to stop in terms of people. My son is special needs so there are A LOT of people that work with him at school (regular teacher, spec ed teacher, personal aide, speech therapist, occupational therapist). Because the school is smaller a lot of people have gotten to know him & everyone is so great with him that I’m thinking should I also include the principal, secretary, yard duty, student specialist, etc….See my problem? Where do I stop? I don’t want people to feel left out or unappreciated but I also don’t want to be overwhelmed with baking. Any suggestions?

Giving is supposed to be a great satisfaction. Looking at the other person’s face and actually enjoying their surprise and pleasure can be amazing. But when a gift is an obligation, it may be time to think twice about how we spend our money and who we choose to give to. Christmas holidays have rapidly become one of those times in which we have to spend a lot and, instead of enjoying the act of giving, we become worried about credit cards and expenses. The true meaning of a present is lost when instead of joy, we become troubled. So, when should we stop on gift giving?

Where Do You Stop? A Great Suggestion

Ultimately, you are the only one who can decide where to stop. But in situations like Anne’s it can be especially difficult to decide where and how to draw the line. A fellow participant shared this idea:

What I usually do is bake some goods (1 or 2 cakes, cookies, savory pies) and set them all in a big basket, add some flowers and candies, a beautiful thank you card and send that to the school as a gift for all the staff. Something they can enjoy all together at the coffee-break, for instance.

What do you think? Where do you draw the line on gift-giving? What would you do if you were in Anne’s shoes?