Fun with Character: Yuck Presents
This exercise is intended to give students practice at gracefully accepting gifts they view as less than desirable. Find some pictures of items that would make “yuck” gifts to your students such as ugly sweaters, kitchen appliances, or toys that are intended for a much younger child. Place each picture in an envelope and draw a gift bow on the outside. Have the students pick an envelope and open the gift. Their challenge is to accept it gracefully and gratefully. Model this with an envelope containing a gift that you don’t really want and show how it’s done. You may also choose to bring in some gifts from your own “gift dungeon” to further demonstrate (as long as they aren’t from someone in the school community.) If there isn’t time to make an envelope for each student, make enough for about 1/3 of the class. When all of those gift envelopes have been used have the students return the gifts to the envelopes and mix them up and re-use them. Make sure to instruct the students that they must be truthful and kind in what they say to the giver. Appreciation for a gift should be framed as gratitude to the individual and not the value of the gift. Some examples are below:
For a plain or ‘ugly’ sweater: “Thank you, Aunt Betty, for the warm sweater. It will certainly keep me toasty this winter. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”
For a toy that is for a younger child: “Thank you, Uncle Roger, for the cool toy truck. Now when playing with my little brother I can have my own truck. I’ll think of you when we play with it.”
For utilitarian socks: “Thanks, Grandma for the socks. You never forget my birthday. I love you!
If they give a good response but their tone or inflection doesn’t match, ask them if their attitude said the same thing as their words and give them a chance to re-state the Thank You. It is important to stress sincerity in their gratitude.
To process this activity, ask these or similar questions:
Have you ever received a Yuck gift? Were you grateful anyway?
Did this exercise give you some ideas of what you could say?
The next time you see someone else be ungrateful for a gift, look at the giver for their reaction and remember to be grateful when you get a gift.