Giving and receiving

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Hi,when we are given a gift from a friend or family is it not really right to share with someone else
who would really appreciate it?(such as a food gift) Especially when the giver would be sad if they knew the
gift they gave that definitely would be enjoyed was given away?
 
That’s a tough question, I don’t know enough about food gifts.
 
It is an easy question for me. If it is food, it might not even make it home to be shared with my family. As I type this, I have Snickerdoodle crumbs on my sweater. I am an Asst DRE at a big parish and we have Faith Formation classes going on this evening. One of our catechists gave me a small box of homemade cookies for Christmas. Lunch seemed so long ago.
 
What if say someone is not so well off,and is given staple food gifts and shares some,passes some on.The giver has seen a need but it’s not being utilised as they had hoped.Is it better for the receiver to make good use for themselves?Or is it alright to share bounty
 
If one gives a gift of food, does one intend it to have strings attached?
To share it doesn’t seem unreasonable.
One could say, “the gift is yours, given to you, therefore you may share it, as it now belongs to you”.
However I think it’s a personal decision that needs to be made according to the mindst of the give and without causing them any hurt.
 
I think that the person who received the gift can do whatever they want with it.
 
A gift becomes the property of the recipient, to do with what he wishes.

“My dear Labrador retriever very much enjoyed your generous gift of smoked sausage.”
 
I would use the principle that after we give the gift to the person, it will be his/her belonging to do at his/her pleasure, unless the gift is for a specific purpose, which is more of a donation (towards something).
 
The recipient of the gift is the owner of the gift. They are free to share that gift, to use it themselves, to give it away, to sell it, to throw it in the garbage.
 
You may share it. But I would suggest that maybe if possible you eat just a little bit first and then share. And then you can truthfully tell the person, “That was delicious!” and not have to tell them that you shared it.

It’s correct that once you give someone a gift, it’s theirs and they can do what they want with it, including gift it to another, and also that food gifts are not always welcome especially when one is trying to stay on a diet or has too much food around at holiday time. But people can sometimes get very hurt if they hear you gave their gift away, because they think it means you didn’t like it or didn’t appreciate it. So best to just not “share” that information with them.
 
I’ve heard of holy people who gave things away all the time. Some people are just very detached from material things. If a gift is given to a person, its for them to decide what to do with it, I think.
 
I think that we you give away something it is done with an open heart. The gift no longer belongs to you but to someone else. The receiver can do whatever likes with it.
When the giver’s intentions are being made present something is not ok. Like for example when the parents in law come to your house and ask about that awesome vase they gave you two and you had put it away because you never liked it in the first place. They actually shouldn’t be asking you this because that vase is no longer theirs but yours. It was a gift.
 
Mary888 said:
When the giver’s intentions are being made present something is not ok. Like for example when the parents in law come to your house and ask about that awesome vase they gave you two and you had put it away because you never liked it in the first place. They actually shouldn’t be asking you this because that vase is no longer theirs but yours. It was a gift.
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Yes, we can talk all day about things that gift-givers “should” not do, but the reality is that some people really want to see that you love their gift. This happens especially with some parents and other close relatives. If they think you didn’t like their gift, they can become sad or take it as a rejection of themself personally.

You can tell them all day long, “When you give me a gift, you should give it without strings, it is mine for me to do what I want with it, and you should give with an open heart, and not care if I put your vase away in the attic, or re-gifted that sweater you gave me to the Goodwill store, or sent that big box of candy you gave me down to the homeless shelter because I am on a diet and I know the homeless people will enjoy it”. And this is going to go over like the proverbial lead balloon.

Sometimes it is more kind to humor people and make them feel good about their gift, than try to tell them how they should behave.
 
I am definitely not advising anything about telling them. I was just saying a parallel situation that imho is just as silly from the part of the giver coming to check up on you. This situation can never be fixed if it occurs but I don’t think it’s a good way of life to constantly imagine how others will be judging you in case you do this or that. Sometimes it’s good to think about this a lot. But in cases of sharing a food gift… I really don’t see why even ponder at it.

I was advising about how the receiver should manipulate the gift received. Especially in the situation the OP describes I don’t think there is anything wrong to share the gift.

There is only one giver who has the right to judge you for any gift he ever gave you and what you did with it - God. Sorry if this sounds too reductionist, I didn’t intent for it to be.
 
Old story about a pastor who decided to name his garbage bin “the spot”, this way when the little old lady asked “how did you like that casserole I made for you?” he could honestly answer “it really hit the spot!”
 
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