I am a big believer in thrift shopping. I also feel that it is totally acceptable to give a thrift shop gift if it truly suits the receiver.

I am equally a believer in cleaning out the closets and giving no longer used items to the local Goodwill.

Several years ago while shopping at our local thrift shop I found a jewelry box that I felt was a perfect match for my tweenage daughter. I snapped it up and put it away for our Santa sacks at Christmas. On Christmas Day after we had opened our Santa sacks my daughter looked at me and said, " Mom, I know now that there is definately NO Santa. I gave this jewelry box Santa gave me last year to the Goodwill and here it is back in my sack again this year!"

I just acted like I didn't hear her and kept on picking up the torn wrapping and throwing it away.