Considerate? Over-gifted? Thoughtful? Thoughtless?

So I've noticed that certain items are advertised non-stop during the holiday season. As I look at it, I realize I have both given and received the items as gifts (and sometimes re-gifted them).

1. Candles

Ok, I do love candles, but I am super picky about what kind of candles I burn. Candle holders, plug in candles, tea light decorations, jar candles, votive candles--they're all super popular this time of year. I can't figure out if it's a cop out gift or a considerate one. It probably depends on the person and types of candles given, but I think many of the gift given/received aren't as thoughtful as they ought to be. For example, I love cinnamon candles and rose candles, but I tend to like to smell and not burn a variety of others. If I was given a votive, I'd probably never burn it, but I enjoy jar candles. If someone knew me well enough, that would be thoughtful, but otherwise I'm not so sure.

2. Lotions

Let's face it, they're cheap and so they're easy to buy, but who really ever uses a lotion scent picked by someone else or that has glittery Christmas sparkles in it? After middle school, most lotion gifts are unoriginal and really sometimes unwanted. I am pretty selective about scents and I like to switch it up every once in awhile. If someone doesn't ask for it, she probably doesn't want it, but we do it anyway. I think maybe our zest for the sale price doesn't lead us to consider what a true close friend would appreciate for Christmas. We do the same old thing. I'm not saying lotion isn't a good gift sometimes, but I know I've been guilty of picking a gift because it's "on sale" without thinking too much about who it is for.

3. Ornaments

Seriously. We buy and buy and buy ornaments for other people. Why? I mean granted it's fun for kids and new events like a baby or a new home, but I've sort of noticed most people like to have a theme in their decor during Christmastime. If I don't know the theme, I probably shouldn't buy an ornament. I can't stop myself sometimes--some ornaments are so damn funny and cute! Does that mean they're good gifts? Maybe. It's hard to determine when there are definitely boxes of ornaments left after decorating the tree at my home.

4. Throws/blankets/pillows

They're everywhere. They're on sale. They're soft and cuddly and fun. Aside from kids, can you really buy a blanket or pillows someone else will like? I know that I'm a connoisseur of the fuzzy blanket. If it's not a silky, comfy soft, I'm not usually that thrilled about it. Maybe other people aren't as picky as I am, but i do wonder how many bedding items are returned after the holidays.

5. Giftcards

I think everyone struggles with these lovely loaded goodies so easy to place in a card or small box. A lot of people appreciate them. I know that with limited funds, being able to go out and pick something for myself is fun. What about the generic ones though? Starbucks, iTunes, and Olive Garden...when we give these kinds of cards, are we really considering the gifted or an easy way out? I think it depends on the person, but I really feel that when I'm buying gifts, I need to be much more mindful of who I am buying for and not what's on sale or is easy to pick up.