Gift Giving Guy

Yesterday, my parents surprised me with a mid-day visit at my workplace — calling first, of course. They gave me a card that read, “Here’s something to smooth out the bumps in the road of life.” Inside was a very generous check. My parents let me know all my brothers and sisters received a money gift. I was floored. I hugged them both and thanked them. I’m putting the thank-you card in tomorrow’s mail.

Money gifts may be a powerful present, if given appropriately. Cultural differences apply, but for me, spouses and older relatives generally should not receive cash. Money gifts can work for weddings, college savings for kids and teens, employee recognition, graduations, and gifts to your children, nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. I suggest giving money with a note card that lightly suggests a purpose.

For example, I received my favorite money gift as a wedding present from the person who introduced me to my wife. She and her husband gave us an oblong black box with a sliding cover that reads:

The Black Box: Stuff to make life’s frownies go away. May it never be empty. May the magic never end.

Inside are scores of gold-foil-wrapped chocolate coins. But if you look carefully, mingled with the chocolates, you would see plenty of Sacagawea dollar coins. (The U.S. Mint first issued the golden coins in 2000, the year of our wedding.) She included a Crane’s stationery note card, wishing us health and wealth to smooth our journey ahead.