Question

Give a vivid description of how E.V. Lucas views the pleasure of giving and receiving presents in his essay 'Unbirthday and other Presents'.

Answer 1

There are different varieties of gifts: birthdays, wedding and Christmas. Unbirthday presents are the nicest, as unlike other gifts, they require thoughts and affection. hey are unexpected and can happily surprise someone, uplifting his spirits. He asserts that unbirthday presents are the gifts that are given to people on a day which is not their birthday or any other occasion. In an unbirthday present, the sentimental value is of the prime focus.
The pleasure of giving and receiving presents buds from the feeling of pleasure and surprise that both the recipient and the giver posses. Through an unbirthday present an article identifies and reaches its best recipient.
Lucas asserts that there are two prime reasons for giving unbirthday presents, either as a token of friendship or to rejoice a recent experience. Presents are not compulsory or mandatory to be given as birthday presents. Infect, they are accidental as a person sees something, the process starts to find the most suitable person to receive that gift. Certain presents need a lot of imagination and thoughtfulness. But since times have changed, searching gifts have become little easy.
Through a humorous account, E.V. Lucas explains the importance of the presents. According to him, when people buy presents to be given on someone's birthday or anniversary, then they have to go through a series of contemplative spree in the market. Those presents are bought according to the choice of the receiver.
Even if there is a great feeling of connecting between the giver and the receiver of the present yet it becomes too mechanical. They are more like a duty that is mandatory to conduct, but the unbirthday presents are absolutely spontaneous, because they are given centric i.e., it depends on what the giver likes to buy.
Elaborating the golden rule of present giving, E.V. Lucas explains this significant rule, emphasizing that one must not give away a present which he/she does not want to keep for himself. Do not give anything that you do not feel pain at parting with. The pleasure of giving presents originates from a desire to impart surprise and happiness. They generate one's finest feelings. Presents are brought and given to either celebrate friendship or recent experience with that person, producing laughter and thrill, Living and receiving presents involve feelings and emotions. For example, Haroun at Rechid had a passion for distributing anonymous gifts and these gifts were more valued by the receivers. Thus, presents are the best because they are a mark of a person's true emotions and are neither compulsory or obligatory. Therefore, the pleasure of giving and receiving presents are such that it imparts surprise and happiness in everyone's life.