不一样的圣诞礼物
文章来源:未知 文章作者:enread 发布时间:2021-02-23 03:21 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
圣诞期间,家人和朋友之间会互赠礼物,表达爱意。可是在收到的礼物中,究竟有多少是实用的、是收礼者真正需要或想要的?
 
It's that time of year when many of us spend money buying gifts for family and friends. We spend hours, even days, searching the shops and websites trying to find the right present for someone - a pair of socks, perfume, a new gadget1 – only to find the recipient2 already has it or they've been given it already. Or worse, they just don't like it, which makes me think, "Are we wasting our time and money?"
 
There is so much stuff in the world already and so much waste that maybe when it comes to Christmas giving, we need to think outside the box – use our imagination and be more creative with our generosity3. This is particularly true for children, who tend to receive mountains of toys some of which end up not even being looked at. One idea is to implement4 a 'one-gift' rule so that children don't grow up spoiled. Getting too many gifts can also send out the wrong message. Speaking to BBC online, clinical psychologist Linda Blair says, "When we are given a lot, we expect to receive a lot… even if it's only at Christmas and on birthdays, it will impact on children's attitudes." She also suggests, "If you want to give a gift, give your time". 
 
She makes a good point - for children and adults alike, when it comes to giving, think about offering something other than a material object that may get forgotten, discarded or re-gifted.  Buying an experience is one alternative - a chance for someone to try something out and do something different. It will cost you money, but for the recipient it could be an opportunity to try something they could not normally afford or would not have thought about doing. It would therefore be memorable5 and, hopefully, much appreciated.
 
Another practical gift could be to buy someone lessons, giving them a chance to learn new skills such as horse riding or learning English. And there are what are called 'favours' – money-can't-buy offerings to do jobs for someone like babysitting, cleaning or giving someone a massage6. And there is always the fallback of giving vouchers7 to spend in a shop.
 
Of course, if you can't think of an original way to give a gift, the alternative is to not buy anything at all. You may be accused of being a 'Scrooge' but at least you're not wasting money on pointless gifts and you could give the money to charity instead – a more worthy8 cause. But if this year, you receive a present that's not to your liking9 don't be ungrateful and remember the age-old saying that 'it's the thought that counts'.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 gadget Hffz0     
n.小巧的机械,精巧的装置,小玩意儿
参考例句:
  • This gadget isn't much good.这小机械没什么用处。
  • She has invented a nifty little gadget for undoing stubborn nuts and bolts.她发明了一种灵巧的小工具用来松开紧固的螺母和螺栓。
2 recipient QA8zF     
a.接受的,感受性强的 n.接受者,感受者,容器
参考例句:
  • Please check that you have a valid email certificate for each recipient. 请检查是否对每个接收者都有有效的电子邮件证书。
  • Colombia is the biggest U . S aid recipient in Latin America. 哥伦比亚是美国在拉丁美洲最大的援助对象。
3 generosity Jf8zS     
n.大度,慷慨,慷慨的行为
参考例句:
  • We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
  • We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。
4 implement WcdzG     
n.(pl.)工具,器具;vt.实行,实施,执行
参考例句:
  • Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划,除非你能完成这项计划。
  • The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。
5 memorable K2XyQ     
adj.值得回忆的,难忘的,特别的,显著的
参考例句:
  • This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
  • The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。
6 massage 6ouz43     
n.按摩,揉;vt.按摩,揉,美化,奉承,篡改数据
参考例句:
  • He is really quite skilled in doing massage.他的按摩技术确实不错。
  • Massage helps relieve the tension in one's muscles.按摩可使僵硬的肌肉松弛。
7 vouchers 4f649eeb2fd7ec1ef73ed951059af072     
n.凭证( voucher的名词复数 );证人;证件;收据
参考例句:
  • These vouchers are redeemable against any future purchase. 这些优惠券将来购物均可使用。
  • This time we were given free vouchers to spend the night in a nearby hotel. 这一次我们得到了在附近一家旅馆入住的免费券。 来自英语晨读30分(高二)
8 worthy vftwB     
adj.(of)值得的,配得上的;有价值的
参考例句:
  • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
  • There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。
9 liking mpXzQ5     
n.爱好;嗜好;喜欢
参考例句:
  • The word palate also means taste or liking.Palate这个词也有“口味”或“嗜好”的意思。
  • I must admit I have no liking for exaggeration.我必须承认我不喜欢夸大其词。
TAG标签: family material Christmas
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