What would you do if someone gave you this...

What would you do if someone gave you a cheap gift? 

With Christmas just a few weeks away, people are hitting the malls in full force, snagging everything from clothing to electronics.

For some people, their holiday shopping list includes a few less expensive items they may plan to give to acquaintances or people they don't know all too well, like their kids' teachers, the cleaning lady at work, and so on.

But sometimes we receive what we'd consider cheap gifts even from friends or relatives. This especially throws us for a loop when we've always given the other person higher-quality stuff.

Would you feel the gift is a reflection of how much (or little) that individual values you?

The first thing one has to determine is whether the person is strapped for cash. If he or she bought you something cheap because they really can't do any better at this time, then it's understandable. Most of us would probably do the same if we were in their shoes. The mere fact the person made the effort to give you something at all is admirable.

But if the person is driving around in a new Beamer, sporting fancy jewelry, and taking vacations to the Cayman Islands every two months, it likely smacks of stinginess. Additionally, is the person giving other friends or relatives much better gifts? If that's the case, then something is surely amiss.

I'm the farthest thing from a cheap person. In fact, I am cheaper with myself than I am with other people. To me, buying someone else a nice gift feels more gratifying than buying it for myself.

Most of us would probably agree that, assuming money is no object, getting cheap gifts from those we care for the most stings a lot more than getting them from, say, coworkers or people we know at church.

It's also worth noting that my definition of "cheap" might be different from yours. I may define cheap as brand names that I've never heard of in my life; you, on the other hand, might make that determination based on factors like texture, price, etc.

Some might argue "it's the thought that counts," which is fair. But when someone is known to have good money, it makes you wonder why they chose to be thrifty with you.

If this becomes a pattern, you'll have to decide whether you want to continue giving him or her more expensive presents. But it's hard to do so when you begin to believe that the gifts are a reflection of what you're worth to the person.

What's your take on this?

After reading and commenting, please check out my other posts here: How to Understand People