送礼的艺术：挑好礼更要送好礼

New year is coming up soon, and some of you may still be working on your gift list. Presents can be a big headache during the holidays, because it takes a lot of time and effort to think of the right gift for someone. Before you finish your list, keep these dos and don'ts in mind:

新年要到了，一些人可能仍然在挑礼物。送礼是过节时很头疼的问题，因为给别人买合适的礼物要花大量时间和精力。在你搞定礼物前，要记住这些注意事项：

Do set a budget. Holiday isn't a time to spend money on presents you can't afford. Sure, it's a time to be generous, but remember to be kind to yourself first and don't empty out your wallet. Start making a list of people you're giving gifts to and set a cap on how much you're going to spend on them.

要设定预算。节日不是你买负担不起的礼物的时候。当然，你可以表现得慷慨大方，但要记得先善待自己，不要掏空你的钱包。开始列个送礼名单，并给消费额度设定上限。

Do consider giving homemade gifts. Personally, I tend to appreciate the gift more when it's homemade because it shows a lot of thought and effort on the gift-giver's part.

考虑送自制礼物。就我个人而言，当礼物是自己做的时候会更喜欢，因为它表达了送礼人大量的用心和付出。

Do be smart about regifting. If you're planning on regifting, remember to avoid major no-nos, such as giving a used item and giving the gift to a friend of a friend. Regifting a bottle of wine is always your safest bet, but do remember to do it with a personal touch like a small card.

转送时要聪明些。如果你想把收到的礼物再送给别人，记得避免重要的失误，比如送用过的东西和转送给朋友的朋友。转送一瓶酒总是你最保险的选择，但记得要有个人风格，比如加个小卡片。

Do get a gift receipt. If you're purchasing something for your friend, make sure you ask the salesperson to include a gift receipt. It's just a polite gesture, and you know your money won't go to waste because if your friend doesn't like the gift, she can just exchange it.

要拿礼物的收据。如果你在给朋友买东西，要跟销售人员确认给了收据。这只是为了表示礼貌，而且你知道你的钱不会白费，因为如果你的朋友不喜欢这份礼物，她可以来店里换。

Do put thought into your gift. If you like something, that doesn't mean that your recipient is going to like it, too. Take some time to really think about what she likes. Don't get her a generic gift, and reflect back on your previous conversations to see if she talked about a certain item she's been wanting to get.

选礼物要花心思。你喜欢的东西不意味着收礼人也喜欢。花点时间认真考虑她喜欢什么。不要送她普通的礼物，回想你们以前的对话看看她是否有一直想要的东西。

Don't leave the price tag on. Make sure you don't leave the price tag on the item and that you're giving a gift receipt and not the original bill. It's not kosher to let your friend know how much you spent on the item, and it's not important for her to know anyway.

不要留着价格标签。确保你没留着价格标签，而且你给的是礼物收据而不是原始票据。让你的朋友知道你在礼物上花了多少钱并不合适，而且对她来说知不知道也不重要。

Don't buy inappropriate gifts. Make sure the gift you're buying is appropriate for each person. For example, if you're buying acquaintances presents, remember not to overspend or personalize it too much. Take a moment to think about how your relationship is with the person before getting them something.

别买不合适的礼物。确保你给每个人买的礼物是适合的。举例来说，如果你给熟人买礼物，记得不要超支或太个性化了。在给他们买东西前先花点时间想想你们的关系如何。

Don't be afraid of giving cash. Don't avoid giving cash because you think it's gauche. Money is a very practical gift that people need more than presents, so don't shy away from it!

不要害怕给现金。别因为你觉得给现金很粗鲁就不送了。钱是很实用的礼物，和礼物相比人们更需要钱，所以不要回避它。

Don't feel obligated. Don't try to give a gift that financially matches the gift they're giving you if you can't afford it. Instead, take some time to get them a homemade or thoughtful gift. In fact, don't even feel beholden to give gifts if you can't afford it this season. Let people know that you won't be doing gift exchanges this year, and they'll understand.

不要强迫自己。如果你买不起，不要试图给一份在价钱上相匹配的回礼。相反，花点时间给他们自制的或用心的礼物。事实上，如果今年你负担不起的话，甚至不要认为送礼是必须的。让别人知道你今年不参加礼物交换，他们会明白的。