Giving tickets (i.e., concerts, sporting events) as gifts

[Belle0101]

Do you hope to be invited as the gift giver?

Maybe it's just my family, maybe it's a regional thing, but it was taught to me that if someone gave you tickets to an event as a gift (i.e., birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day) it was implied, strongly implied, that you would invite them to go with you. Certainly the gift giver could decline but asking was the polite thing to do.

What got me thinking about this is that my sister called me and said she was given 4 tickets to a concert for her birthday. The gift giver told her that while all 4 tickets were her birthday gift, only 1 was actually for her. One was for the gift giver and the other two she was supposed to find somebody who wanted them. But, they had to buy them for at least face value, reimbursing the gift giver.

I just wonder how other people think or feel when giving or receiving tickets as gifts.

 

[mrsklamc]

A gift should never be given with "orders."

 

[kidzmom3]

ridiculous and I would have handed the tickets back and said thanks but no thanks. Unless its a husband/wife scenario gifts are to be used as the giftee sees fit.

 

[clh2]

Do you hope to be invited as the gift giver?

Maybe it's just my family, maybe it's a regional thing, but it was taught to me that if someone gave you tickets to an event as a gift (i.e., birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day) it was implied, strongly implied, that you would invite them to go with you. Certainly the gift giver could decline but asking was the polite thing to do.

What got me thinking about this is that my sister called me and said she was given 4 tickets to a concert for her birthday. The gift giver told her that while all 4 tickets were her birthday gift, only 1 was actually for her. One was for the gift giver and the other two she was supposed to find somebody who wanted them. But, they had to buy them for at least face value, reimbursing the gift giver.

I just wonder how other people think or feel when giving or receiving tickets as gifts.

I'm sorry - that is a gift with way too many strings attached. I would probably politely decline. The gift giver is making your sister "work" for her gift - by finding 2 other people to buy the tickets. If your sister "really, really, really" wants to go to the concert - she should give the gift-giver the other 3 tickets back, and let the gift-giver find two other people to buy the tickets.

That is just a lousy present.

 

[Jennasis]

Absolute hogwash. If I give someone tix to something it is theirs to do with as they please. Heck, most of the time I buy someone tix it's for something I don't like (sporting events or a concert).

 

[goofyintoronto]

A gift should never be given with "orders."

I agree. Honestly thats the worst present ever. Who does that?!?

 

[DebbieB]

If the gift giver expects to be invited than they need to be specific - I'm taking you to see ____________ for your birthday. Preferably including dinner.

 

[Shagley]

Anytime I had a friend give me a ticket to a concert she knew I wanted to go to, she gave me the ONE ticket as my gift, and she kept the ticket she bought for herself. She didn't give me both tickets and hope I invited her.

I think telling your sister she had to find someone to buy the other two tickets is crazy. I would at least have handed those two tickets back to the gift giver and said "I will hang on to our two tickets until the concert and you can take care of finding someone to buy these two".

 

[kirstenb1]

ridiculous..who gives a gift like that? nevermind, I have the answer!!

 

[mom2rtk]

That is absolutely nutty. Reminds me of the year one of my siblings wanted to give my parents cell phones for Christmas without knowing if they wanted to take on the monthly cost. Uh, no.

 

[Allison]

What? That isn't a gift, it is an exchange transaction. Sell 2 tickets for me and in exchange you get one for yourself.

 

[Janepod]

"No, you cannot give your friend "theater tickets" for his birthday, and then, as he's accepting them, jerk one away and say "Actually, it's ‘theater ticket' because I'm coming too.""

http://gawker.com/5993604/silencing...f-all-your-time-and-other-questionable-advice

 

[DebbieB]

I think if you are going to do it, you would have to be sure that it is something the recipient would want and you know that they would want to go with you. Like if I made the comment that I would love to see Wicked when it comes back to town and a friend offers to take me for my birthday.

 

[disykat]

Anytime I had a friend give me a ticket to a concert she knew I wanted to go to, she gave me the ONE ticket as my gift, and she kept the ticket she bought for herself. She didn't give me both tickets and hope I invited her.

.

Right. A gift of taking you as a guest to see something is different than giving you a gift of two tickets.

 

[KBoopaloo]

If the gift giver expects to be invited than they need to be specific - I'm taking you to see ____________ for your birthday. Preferably including dinner.

This exactly! I often give my godkids tickets to sporting events and the gift is that I take them, buy them lunch/dinner/snacks and usually a souvenir. All part of the gift. The physical gift they get is their ONE ticket with a note about the rest.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

If I have a pair of tickets and want to go, I only "give away" one ticket

 

[NHdisneylover]

Do you hope to be invited as the gift giver?

Maybe it's just my family, maybe it's a regional thing, but it was taught to me that if someone gave you tickets to an event as a gift (i.e., birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day) it was implied, strongly implied, that you would invite them to go with you. Certainly the gift giver could decline but asking was the polite thing to do.

I have never heard of this. I think it is actually kind of rude to give someone tickets to something with the expectation or hope that you will be invited to go with them.

If anything, I figure it is the opposite--one could assume that you do NOT want to attend if you give tickets to the event as a gift. If you DID want to attend, you would give the gift of taking the person to the event with you.

What got me thinking about this is that my sister called me and said she was given 4 tickets to a concert for her birthday. The gift giver told her that while all 4 tickets were her birthday gift, only 1 was actually for her. One was for the gift giver and the other two she was supposed to find somebody who wanted them. But, they had to buy them for at least face value, reimbursing the gift giver.

I just wonder how other people think or feel when giving or receiving tickets as gifts.

In this case the gift giver is totally out of line (I agree with all the PPs). Not only should the giver not be expecting at attend with the giftee, after having given all the tickets to her--but asking/telling her she must sell tickets, and give the $$ to the giver is beyond rude.

I think I would be inclined to decline the gift entirely if I were your sister.

 

[aprilgail2]

If the gift giver expects to be invited than they need to be specific - I'm taking you to see ____________ for your birthday. Preferably including dinner.

I agree--- in the OPs case I would have just said thanks but no thanks!

I have given theatre tickets as gifts, gave my friend front row Phantom of the Opera tickets- I gave her TWO--I assumed she would want to take her husband with her and I was correct. Now if I wanted to go I would have said - Hey I am taking you to a Broadway show for your birthday...but not give her both tickets and here is your gift- two tickets but I am coming.

 

[powellrj]

If I give someone 2 tickets as a gift, they are just that, 2 tickets. If I want to go I would give 1 ticket and tell them we would go together because I had the other ticket.

I can't think of a time I have given tickets as a gift unless it was for family. DD got 2 concert tickets for her birthday and there is no way I want to go with her, she is taking her BFF!

 

[Poohforyou]

Do you hope to be invited as the gift giver?

Maybe it's just my family, maybe it's a regional thing, but it was taught to me that if someone gave you tickets to an event as a gift (i.e., birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day) it was implied, strongly implied, that you would invite them to go with you. Certainly the gift giver could decline but asking was the polite thing to do.

What got me thinking about this is that my sister called me and said she was given 4 tickets to a concert for her birthday. The gift giver told her that while all 4 tickets were her birthday gift, only 1 was actually for her. One was for the gift giver and the other two she was supposed to find somebody who wanted them. But, they had to buy them for at least face value, reimbursing the gift giver.

I just wonder how other people think or feel when giving or receiving tickets as gifts.

If I were your sister I'd give that "gift" back. That isn't a gift, it's a chore.

I've given tickets as gifts several times and never expected or wanted to be invited. The only exception to that is when I've bought tickets for dh or dd and then it's implied we'd go as a family.