gifting?

talisman19 · Post by **talisman19** » Sun May 17, 2009 9:02 pm

I am a first timer to burning man and have a question about gifting. How does that work? What makes a good gift that might make someone's day better, cooler, more enjoyable versus a useless thing that no one wants? Whats appreciated and not? Any ideas?

Playa Tom · Post by **Playa Tom** » Sun May 17, 2009 9:09 pm

Don't worry about gifting, if you come up with something cool, fine, if not, the eperience of a burn will give you some ideas. Gifting is enouraged but it is not manditory, a smile and a decent attitude are worth a lot on the playa sometimes.

talisman19 · Post by **talisman19** » Mon May 18, 2009 6:51 am

That makes sense. I will be positive and friendly and just see what happens. If an opportunity to gift comes up, I will give.

Post by **Elderberry** » Mon May 18, 2009 7:08 am

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

JK

pinemom · Post by **pinemom** » Mon May 18, 2009 7:44 am

I find that keeping the idea of this event ...is as radically self reliant and that everything you plan for and do is in someway a gift to all the people out there.
...be it a smile you share with a stranger, to telling a joke, giving someone a chapstick /bottle water/ cocktail / t-shirt/ tissue/ a lift /a random poem/a short skit/ a couple bangs on a hammer to ease their shoulders/ hold this/
can you grab the pliers... pass me a peice of duct tape please.....

A gift sometimes can be misconstrued as something that comes outa a box, is purchased online, is bright and shiney.

My most best'est gifts Ive been on the receiving side for, was a HAND!

By far my more cherished gifts. The memory of that stranger coming up and asking if he/she can give me a hand with whatever task I was working on.

Welcome home!

talisman19 · Post by **talisman19** » Mon May 18, 2009 8:11 am

You make a lot of sense on how to gift and what it should be about.
Bringing a bunch of stuff and giving it out is not personal or as welcome as the gift of your time/help with things that need to get done. Being self reliant in the desert seems very hard to do and a little help probably goes a long way. I will keep my eye out for opportunities to give of myself rather than out of a package. Thanks for your welcome home, I needed that.

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Mon May 18, 2009 3:14 pm

Herzlich Wellkommen!! being present is a gift to your self

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon May 18, 2009 4:04 pm

Thecatman wrote:Herzlich Wellkommen!! being present is a gift to your self

In the Geschenk sense, not the poisen sense.

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Mon May 18, 2009 4:34 pm

theCryptofishist wrote:In the Geschenk sense, not the poisen sense.

I guess! Correct me if I'm wrong but the word Geschenk in german means gift in English but the word gift in English means poison in German? I'm just trying to learn a little German on my own.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Tue May 19, 2009 9:05 pm

Thecatman wrote:
theCryptofishist wrote:In the Geschenk sense, not the poisen sense.
I guess! Correct me if I'm wrong but the word Geschenk in german means gift in English but the word gift in English means poison in German? I'm just trying to learn a little German on my own. :?

Das stimpt.

Aber, mann gebt das Gift sowie one gives a gift.

Catwoman69y2k · Post by **Catwoman69y2k** » Mon May 25, 2009 5:19 pm

talisman19 wrote:I am a first timer to burning man and have a question about gifting. How does that work? What makes a good gift that might make someone's day better, cooler, more enjoyable versus a useless thing that no one wants? Whats appreciated and not? Any ideas?

Only thing I can advise is to not give out anything that could become MOOP. Paper products like business cards can often end up in someone's trash can or, worse, part of the playa if someone is too lazy to store it or dispose of it properly.

As far as the very idea of gifting, Im not sure what to tell you. As someone who has a hard time accepting items that I didnt work my butt off for, Im kind of the last person who would know the answer to that.

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Mon May 25, 2009 7:47 pm

The best gifts are plastic Mardi Gras necklaces...so cool!

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Tue May 26, 2009 9:46 am

You need to bring your gifts by to Barbarian Camp for approval this year. We have been approved to become the official Bunringman gifting approval station.

Sail Man · Post by **Sail Man** » Tue May 26, 2009 11:18 am

Ugly Dougly wrote:You need to bring your gifts by to Barbarian Camp for approval this year. We have been approved to become the official Bunringman gifting approval station.

Will gifting you Hops laden beverages increase our chances of being approved of distributing said gifts?

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed May 27, 2009 10:46 am

Sail Man wrote:
Ugly Dougly wrote:You need to bring your gifts by to Barbarian Camp for approval this year. We have been approved to become the official Bunringman gifting approval station.
Will gifting you Hops laden beverages increase our chances of being approved of distributing said gifts? :wink:

My guess is: no. They might have to try again and again, and before they decide you might be out of hopsladen bevs. YOu might as well give them to the DPW first, although having a Barbarian/DPW fight might be worth the amusement.

Oldguy · Post by **Oldguy** » Wed May 27, 2009 4:08 pm

Was that bunringman or bungringman?

cheesynei · Post by **cheesynei** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:31 am

i am thinking of taking a sat phone and giving one min calls to people who need to check on loved ones. i know it would mean a lot if i had small children back home. i think i can gift 200 people for 300.00 dollars, and still receive free incoming and texts from my family.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:05 am

Someone with a camp near the potty banks on C and 7 did that last year and it sure brought a lot of happiness to people.

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:06 am

cheesynei wrote:i am thinking of taking a sat phone and giving one min calls to people who need to check on loved ones. i know it would mean a lot if i had small children back home. i think i can gift 200 people for 300.00 dollars, and still receive free incoming and texts from my family.

Now THAT is an awesome idea.

A lot of my usual things also revolve around art, and won't be happening in BRC, so I've been brainstorming. I've narrowed it down somewhat, main wants being that they be practical and burnable (as opposed to plastic).

bs bob · Post by **bs bob** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:08 am

last year some of the gifts i got were
tootsie rools
a slice of yellow watermelon-didnt even know it existed
cherries soaked in everclear for 3 months
necklace homemade from melted down carborators
sno-cone
grilled corn dog=mmmmm
a drop of clear liquid
smiles

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:09 am

um cheesy, you're that christian guy aren't you?

Burning Man used to be totally off the grid....no phones, no food , no water, no mercy, to quote the denizens of terminal city.

why would you want us to be in contact with defaultia? Defaultia SUCKS, and i dont want to talk to it, i'm on VACATION dammit.

keep that miserable little device to yourself, i dont want anything to do with it.

thanks, but no thanks.

Minxy · Post by **Minxy** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:35 am

As much as I agree with Simon on this issue (yikes, that's scary, isn't it?) a SAT phone is AWESOME. It saves parents the bus ride into town to stand in line for the pay phone. It's a great gift, IMO. :)

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:20 am

they will be fine.....whose sake are you calling for? yours or them?

trust me, they could care less what you are doing.

it's better to be surprised when you get the news of the world after exodus, not before.

The Rumor Bunny is ineffective if you already know the truth.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:29 am

Oh, that's great. Auntie Em picks up her phone and her weird cousin is hollering over the Drum Enclave: "Hey, Em, guess what, I'm drunk and naked and they're burning some huge shit! It's awesome, you have to come next year!"

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:54 am

"a slice of yellow watermelon-didnt even know it existed"

Really? I LOVE it. Maybe it is a Southern thing. As might be yellow 'maters. Love them, too. I have yellow raspberries growing. Don't know what they taste like, yet.

Burp! · Post by **Burp!** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:54 am

I say leave the Sat phone at home, more we keep the default world out of BM the better!

Here's a great idea that someone needs to do, make a bunch (enough for everyone at BM, I suspect the numbers will be down this year with the economy and all) of Shwag bags for people to carry their gifts in. Must say "Shwag Bag" on the outside. This way when someone gives you another necklace or ashtray for your cigarette butts, you can say "Thanks!!" and then drop the item into your overly loaded Shwag bag.

Just an idea

T.

Minxy · Post by **Minxy** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:57 am

[quote="Simon of the Playa"]they will be fine.....whose sake are you calling for? yours or them?

trust me, they could care less what you are doing.

it's better to be surprised when you get the news of the world after exodus, not before.

The Rumor Bunny is ineffective if you already know the truth.[/quote]

:D I'm calling for both our sakes! And trust ME, they care a lot about what I'm doing. :D :D We have a good, fun relationship. They LOVE hearing from me every year when I call.

I don't care so much about the news of the world when I'm at Burning Man. :P I do care a great deal about the traditional phone call to my kids to check in and give them a chance to harass me about being a dirty hippy and to mock me and be mocked in return. It's our bonding highlight of my BM trip every year!

My goal is still to drag them into going... Then I won't need to call them! I can just toss dust at them and chase them down the street with a super soaker and shout YOU'RE GROUNDED UNTIL YOU LEARN TO USE THAT DAMN FLAMETHROWER!!!!

Token · Post by **Token** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:58 am

C.f.M. wrote:"a slice of yellow watermelon-didnt even know it existed"

Really? I LOVE it. Maybe it is a Southern thing. As might be yellow 'maters. Love them, too. I have yellow raspberries growing. Don't know what they taste like, yet.

Yeah, but avoid the yellow snow-cones!

Bounce530 · Post by **Bounce530** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:00 pm

Not falling for that one again...lemonaide sno-cone, my ass!!

swampdog · Post by **swampdog** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:06 pm

And if I offer you some yellow gatorade on my first trip to the porta-potties in the morning, you probably don't want to accept.

gifting?

gifting?

Thanks

Thank you

Re: gifting?

gift idea

Re: gift idea

Piss Clear!