November: Elections and Holiday Gifting
When you say “November,” the first thing that comes to most people’s minds is Thanksgiving. But close behind as #2 and 3 would be “elections” and “beginning of the holiday season.” Every year, each of those seasons seems to extend longer and longer. As the Political ads saying “Vote for Me”, or “Don’t Vote for Him (Her)” come to an abrupt halt, (which we are all thankful for), we are sure to be inundated with ads saying “Buy Me” or “Shop Here” for the Holidays.
When I think of this time of year, I often think of Chae – a woman I used to work with at General Mills. Chae was a hard-working administrative assistant who supported about 15 people and would do whatever was asked efficiently and with a smile. She came from a very traditional Korean family and had extremely conservative views. Whoever was running for political office – she did not like them because they were not conservative enough. Let’s just say, my political views were sharply different than hers. During election season, we both knew where the other one stood and we would keep relatively quiet about politics around elections – not wanting our vastly divergent views to damage our working relationship.
While the election would always seem to divide us, holiday gifts would bring us back together. There were two advertising agencies that would give people in marketing at General Mills gifts at the holiday season. One always gave a card saying that they had made a donation to a charity in my name. I really liked that one. The other agency every year gave an angel Christmas ornament. I hate to sound ungrateful, and my mom taught me that you should appreciate every gift. However, when I first got the angel ornament, I have to admit I was a little upset – not because I thought I deserved a gift or was wanting for something specific, but I hate when people spend money on me, and I feel it is totally going to waste. And frankly, this ornament was going to waste – I am Jewish so I do not collect ornaments and I did not find the “art” of it particularly attractive.
The day after I got my first angel and it was sitting on my desk (I did not have the heart to throw it out), Chae came into my office and complimented the angel saying how much she loved it. I asked her if she would like to have it. She said, “I couldn’t take it from you,” and I said “No, I would like you to have it.” And thus the ultimate re-gift was born. For the next four years when I would receive my annual Christmas angel ornament, I would go straight to Chae’s desk (even after I had moved divisions) and give her my angel, and her face always lit up. And while I am not claiming to be generous because of a re-gift, I was always happy that it found a wanted home.
Last week, Wild Idea Buffalo launched our corporate gift program for 2012. While I cannot promise that everyone loves buffalo, I am pretty confident that anyone who receives one of our three delicious holiday gift boxes will be pretty excited and not be looking to re-gift it. We have: 1) the Great Plains Gift Box with Top Sirloins and Ground, 2) the Prairie Gourmet Gift Box with Tenderloins, Ground, Salami, and Italian Sausage, and 3) my personal favorite – the Cowboy Gift Box – with 4 Bone-In Ribeye Steaks. You can save up to an incredible 25% on our list prices when you give Wild Idea Buffalo Corporate Gift Boxes See this link for more details (insert site link here). In addition to giving a gift they are sure to love, you can feel good about giving a gift that gives back as well – Wild Idea Buffalo has helped restore an acre of Great Plains native grasslands with every pound of meat sold this year.