People passionate about their hobbies would prefer to get an unrelated gift than some kitsch item
VANCOUVER — Don Genova loves to cook, but when a relative sends him a basket of goodies from a mall kiosk at Christmas, his heart sinks.
"It's this supposedly gourmet stuff but it's not - it's just crappy," he says. Over the years he's also received dozens of aprons, jars of maraschino cherries and whimsical cloth shopping bags, none of which are his cup of tea.
"I'd rather get a good gift than one that relates to my hobby," says Mr. Genova, a journalist known for his syndicated food column on CBC Radio in British Columbia.
'Tis the season of the dreaded enthusiast gift. An aficionado can spot one with just a corner of the wrapping torn away.
It's the bottle of Yellow Tail presented to the wine connoisseur and the sailboat door knocker given to the yacht club habitué. Or the Il Divo CD thoughtfully purchased for a cellist - because what classical musician isn't a fan of pseudo-opera?
Most recipients say they feel obligated to show enthusiasm and keep the unwanted item even if little thought went into the present. The result, in Mr. Genova's case, is a drawer full of aprons he will never use.
Gift-givers should think twice before trying to impress a true aficionado, says Chris Hess, a Boston-based computer consultant and sport fisherman who is the reluctant owner of about 30 shirts with fish on them.
"When you're really into any hobby," he says, "you have very strong opinions about what it is you want." Mr. Hess says he rarely receives a hobby-related gift that he could actually use, such as a dozen chartreuse-and-white Clouser minnow fishing flies.
It wouldn't take much for givers to get closer to the mark, he adds. Mr. Hess recommends a sly conversation with the enthusiast's friends, as the wife of his fishing buddy did recently. "I told her exactly what outfit of rod and reel to get, which he was ecstatic about and didn't see coming," Mr. Hess says.
Finding the right enthusiast gift involves a little research, according to Peggy McConnell, president of Errand Girls, a personal shopping and concierge service with locations in Vancouver and Calgary.
"The Internet is always your best friend," she says. "You can easily just type into Google something like 'What does the real golfer want for 2008?' "
Another tactic is to corner an informed shop clerk and ask about the latest must-have gadget for the avid kite surfer, chess player or mountain climber. "It's not going to magically appear when you walk into the store," she says.
And not just any store will do.
Catherine Kustanczy, a freelance producer and arts journalist in Toronto, says she wishes her godfather hadn't bought her an easel at a kids' craft shop. The easel was so short and flimsy that she couldn't use it for the landscapes she loves to paint in her spare time. "There are stains on the sofa from when it would tip over," she says.
Ms. Kustanczy says she asked her godfather if she could exchange it but he refused. "He was just like, 'Oh, we can add some pieces of wood or whatever.' "
Givers can avoid disappointing recipients by enclosing a gift receipt, Ms. McConnell says, and "people should never be really offended if something is taken back."
After all, the present could end up regifted. That was the fate of a certain paperweight given to Ab Kurk, a recreational scuba diver based in Vancouver. "My friend thought that I would love it," he says. "But no, I'm not really a snow globe fan - especially not with a dolphin in there."
Corny gifts do have their place, Ms. McConnell says, but only if the enthusiast shares your sense of humour.
Mr. Hess agrees. "Maybe your spouse loves to walk around wearing a T-shirt that says 'I'm crazy about quilting,' " he says. Otherwise, "I think enthusiast gifts are almost entirely a waste of time or money."