This time of year, you can find "gifts for under $$$" lists in pretty much every magazine. There are sporty lists, eco-friendly lists, this-gift-looks-expensive-but-it's-actually-pretty-cheap lists... you name it there's a list for it, all in the name of helping you with your holiday shopping.
I, personally, do not use these lists. I do, however, look at them because they occupy every third page of the magazines I read. I figure, why fight it??? Just look at the list...
Today, I was reading a rather popular blog and came across a Holiday Shopping Guide for Gifts Under $100. I figured, what the hay... let's check out the guide and see what they suggest. Many of the gifts were cute... lamps, shoes, the usual gift guide options.... and then I came across a gift that had me a little puzzled.
A napkin ring.
Now, I am not normally puzzled by napkin rings. I understand their function. Heck, I even own a few... four to be exact. It was not the napkin ring itself, that had me puzzled. It was the fact that someone thought to put it in this guide that left me a little confused.
The guide is for gifts that are under $100, so technically the napkin ring can be on the list since it is priced at $75. But it's ONE napkin ring at $75.... when was the last time you gifted someone ONE napkin ring???
You probably haven't.
Know why?
Beacuse napkin rings are given as a set... Sometimes four, maybe six, often 8 for larger table settings. You simply don't buy one napkin ring, wrap it, and say "Merry Christmas... Hope somebody gets you the other three!" It's just not done.
Only after my mini-rant was complete, was I able to focus on the price. $75 for ONE napkin ring?!?!?! My first thought was..."you do realize this is a ring for your napkin and not your finger, right?" No wonder you're only buying one, you'd go broke buying all four. That's $300 on napkin rings.
$300 for napkin rings?!?! Geez Louise, how much did you spend on your napkins?!?! They must be pretty fancy to warrant $300 napkin rings.
Maybe I'm too old fashioned, or just flat out cheap... but I am not spending that much money on a napkin ring... or four. I am perfectly happy using my cheap-o napkin rings or *gasp* folding my napkins and laying them flat.
This is the reason I don't like to look at the gift guides in the first place... there is always some random gift that doesn't belong. An item that's sole purpose is to mcok you from its place on the glossy page or just behind the glare on your computer screen... To this gift, and its parent gift guide, I say...."My friends don't want napkins rings as a gift anyway!!!"
ttfn
~lyn
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