People put time, effort, and money into picking out gifts for their friends.  Sometimes they hit the nail on the head and pick out the perfect gift.  Sometimes they don’t.

Either way, as the recipient of the gift, it is your job to let them know that you appreciate the time, effort, and money they spent in selecting your gift. 

That task is probably pretty easy when you open the great new gizmo that you have been wanting.  But if you open a tea cozy when you don’t even drink tea, focus on the person who gave you the gift and appreciate him or her.  Let each person who gave you a gift feel acknowledged and appreciated.

Once you have received the gift, it is yours to do with as you please.  You can use it, return it, or even give it away to someone else.  But just to be considerate of other people’s feelings, make those decisions in private.

After the party, sending notes of thanks for the gifts you received is always a nice gesture.