I'm sure lots of you out there have received the tacky, crappy "tiki" gift from a well-meaning friend or relative. You know, like some bright neon pink and green mask, some dumb Corona sign, etc.

My question is, what do you do once you've received it? It was obviously given to you as a nice gesture, but you probably don't want to include it with your tiki bar decor. Your first thought is to pitch it or put it in the Goodwill bin. But then what do you say to the friend/relative next time they're over and ask, "Hey, where's that thingamabob I got you?"

Arriano!
keep all that stuff in a box!
clearly label who gave you what
bust out their item and
display it prominently when they come to visit
After they are gone,place item gently back inside box
and put in garage labelled "ODDS-N-ENDS".

Repeat as often as necessary.

TADA!
:)

you just say honestly ...."what that piece of CRAP?! you were serious about that !"
and then you show your complete dismay at such an insult!
The fact that they care so little than to get you an item that lacks taste and style ....is to assume that you do as well ! that your art,hobby,collection is nothing more that 5 cents worth of paint and a hacked up tree stump is unforgivable!
At that point ya hit em up for some high test aged rum to smooth things over or "leave my tropical Paradise before the natives have your head on a stick!"
easy!......................

On 2009-05-21 13:50, TIKIVILLE wrote:
you just say honestly ...."what that piece of CRAP?! you were serious about that !"
and then you show your complete dismay at such an insult!
The fact that they care so little than to get you an item that lacks taste and style ....is to assume that you do as well ! that your art,hobby,collection is nothing more that 5 cents worth of paint and a hacked up tree stump is unforgivable!
At that point ya hit em up for some high test aged rum to smooth things over or "leave my tropical Paradise before the natives have your head on a stick!"
easy!......................

TOTALLY AGREE, Rum is the perfect gift!!!

I think I would find a spot for anything anyone gave me. Of course I don't have a lot of the fantastic things I've seen posted on this site so for me anything is welcome....plus I wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings. Perhaps when I have more art...carvings...etc....then perhaps they will see the difference and understand what true tiki is about.

KK

I have found a lovely solution to this problem. Each year during our company's annual United Way fundraising campaign, I host a "Beach Blanket Bingo" game to raise money. Since we can't give out cash prizes ('cause then what's the point?), I have "tiki" prizes. The plastic party city cups, masks, etc that well-meaning friends have given to me are perfect prizes for the uneducated coworkers who just come for the pineapple and ham pizza anyway! They don't care that the prizes suck, they're just happy they won something for their $5 donation!

I usually use the lesser quality decorations outside in the yard.

They serve their purpose and when the weather kills the item.... I dont feel so bad.

You get the cat to break it.

Unfortunately, I don't think this will break.

On 2009-05-21 17:39, Sweet Daddy Tiki wrote:
You get the cat to break it.

Unfortunately, I don't think this will break.

One man's trash....send that sucker to me...I have a great place for it...:)

PM me....I'll give you my address and send you some shipping fees....:)

KK

hey k.k., it would probably be cheaper for you to pick one up at your local building centre than to pay shipping on that sucker (I think it's from home depot or home hardware or some such).

Hehehe....thanks sweet daddy.....will look for one here...:)

KK

Actually....I can't find one like that anywhere. Enjoy it.

KK

I am puting in a "kitch corner" where I will prominently display any and all well-intentioned gifts that I deem lesser than the "real thing." I actually like getting this stuff - my sister, who knows good Tiki, found these plastic red Tiki(?) lights that are battery operated and have a handle (reminds me of the old train lights). She thought they would be fun as a table light in my still-not-built Tiki bar! I think they're histerical! I'll probably use them outside this summer too!

Last year at one of my parties we had a "white elephant" gift exchange and it worked out great. We played grab a gift and everyone got everyone else's Tiki terrors...oh what a world...what a world. Who would have thought good ohana like you could have given me this useless Tiki paraphanalia!!!

I agree with Monkeyman, I also put the lesser quality items in the outside yard. I usually hide them in between the tropical plants and they all eventually fade or brake or something.

I've gotten lots of dodgy looking Tiki gifts over the years. I can't complain too much, though. It's nice that someone was thinking of me, and let's face it, it may be a bit much to expect someone to distinguish between swank, retro kitsch and contemporary, bad taste kitsch. Like some of the other folks have said, I try to find some unobtrusive place to put them. One solution is that when I invite people for a birthday smash like the one we held last March (my wife surprised me with a whole, roasted 50-pound pig!), I say on the invite, "No gifts, please."

As for one man's trash being another man's treasure, at my last place of employment we had a round robin gift exchange each year at our Christmas party. We were given numbered tickets, and if it was your turn you could take something an earlier person had opened or choose a gift from the pile of wrapped presents, which made for fun because people would see a nice gift like a bottle of booze taken away and then be forced to choose and open what could turn out to be a perfectly awful present. One year a younger man who went before me opened a package containing two hula girl candles, and moaned that no one would ever take them away from him. I was up next and guess what happened?

Sweet,
That thing would be great if it were a space heater.

When someone gives me a TiKi gift and it misses the mark, ah those monkey pod bowls and giant fork and spoons...I try to display them somewhere...I am grateful that someone thought of me and was trying to suit me, they could have gave me a card... I have been fairly lucky and have gotten some sweet stuff.

I lean strongly toward BananaBob's approach. When someone gives me a nice [in their eyes] gift, I can usually find somewhere for it that will please them yet not clash with better stuff in a way that appalls the eye. If all else fails, I collect so much stuff and my houses used to be so crowded, pre-marriage, that I can always plausibly claim that "I've been looking everywhere for that since we had to put all my stuff in storage; I really want to find it and get it up right here". Luckily my backyard "tiki bar" is more of a generic beach bar, mixing a mug collection and other tiki elements with a wall of coconut rum bottles [70 brands from all over], a couple of sailboards, potted palm trees, and lots of old record album covers, heavy on tropical rock artists like the one whose name is anathema on TC but consists of a word for an all-you-can-eat restaurant with an extra T at the end.

Chiwito, I have no idea who you're talking about, but could it be the ever famous Jimmy Smörgåsbord-t?

So, back on topic. My policy is to include it, but maybe dress it up a bit.

I'm also a fan of the, file it away, then bring it out when they're over strategy.

On 2009-06-03 22:25, The Lounge Tiki wrote:
Chiwito, I have no idea who you're talking about, but could it be the ever famous Jimmy Smörgåsbord-t?

Yeah, I have most of his albums: "A viking looks at forty","Wasted away in Absolutville","Changes in latitude; freezing my ass off";"Swedish meatballs in paradise","Fjordsharks".

Got this from a family member ... ouch!

In their defense they know how awful it is.

I'll have to re-gift it to a tiki friend ... so tiki friends beware, ha.

Ouch.

Last year my adult daughter got an interesting birthday gift from my brother, a very gaudy tiki bar wall hanging from Bed, Bath & Beyond. It came with a $50 price tag AND the receipt, the intent was that she was to return it and get whatever she wanted. Much more interesting than a gift certificate :lol:

On 2009-09-08 16:59, Swamp Fire wrote:
Got this from a family member ... ouch!

In their defense they know how awful it is.

I'll have to re-gift it to a tiki friend ... so tiki friends beware, ha.

I kinda like it???
But I've also never been accused of having good taste,lol.

[ Edited by: Lightning Steve 2009-09-08 21:39 ]

On 2009-09-08 16:59, Swamp Fire wrote:
Got this from a family member ... ouch!

In their defense they know how awful it is.

I'll have to re-gift it to a tiki friend ... so tiki friends beware, ha.

hey! I have this clock hanging in the bathroom attached to our tiki lounge!
If it scares this shit out of them or pisses them off, they're in the right place!

Make me something Tripical. You know,a mai-tai,with 3 shots of rum!
My tiki mugs now on sale! see them at http:palapalasmug.etsy.com

[ Edited by: palapala 2009-09-08 22:05 ]

[ Edited by: palapala 2009-09-08 22:06 ]

[ Edited by: palapala 2009-09-08 22:25 ]

TIKI TOCK!!! I saw this hangin in our tiki bar and then saw it on slebay so I bought it for .99 cents...
It's in the tiki bathroom which is filled with about 50 mugs and wooden tiki's but guess what most people say is so cool... uh yeah.. TIKI TOCK!! Ya I wish it was wood and old but I still like em..

Aloha

One thing that I have a hard time with is the rash of people that I know who have Tiki parties and buy the stuff they sell at the local party stores. Once they are done with it, they give it to me and think that I would love to have it since I collect Tiki.

Well I just moved and the Salvation Army just got a few boxes of "Tiki" stuff that makes my stomach churn and eyes burn...