# What's Your Go-To Gift **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 9, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-gift/505882 "2009-08-09T23:05:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-gift/505882/41 "2009-08-12T20:32:31Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > My grandma keeps spare wrapped packages around at Christmastime in case we have unexpected guests, so they don’t have to sit around with nothing while we open gifts. They all contain picture frames. I buy emergency gifts at christmas in case I get a gift from someone I wasn’t expecting to give me one or - and this happens more frequently - I am in a position where it would be courteous to have a gift with me. A surprise invitation to a party or something like that. This is often candy, but is also often silver christmas ornaments (in keeping with the silver as a gift theme.) ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-gift/505882/42 "2009-08-12T20:48:34Z")
> [@MrSquishy](#): > > You obviously don’t hobnob with any bigwigs or fatcats. True, but at least I pal around with fatwigs and bigcats. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-gift/505882/43 "2009-08-12T20:54:41Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > See’s Candy. Who can’t enjoy that? And F&$# em’, if they don’t! Interesting second choice there… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9adbd/32.png) [@Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fell_through_the_Ice)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-gift/505882/44 "2009-08-12T21:13:28Z")
WTF is a “go-to”? ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-gift/505882/45 "2009-08-12T21:34:29Z")
> [@Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](#): > > WTF is a “go-to”? It’s what you do if you have no idea what the person wants. Sort of a “fall back generic one-size-fits-all” gift that you “go to” if you’re out of ideas or have no idea what to do. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-gift/505882/46 "2009-08-12T21:36:07Z")
In case it’s not a whoosh, adjective go-to signifies the default you…go to when you don’t have a special other plan. So if it’s someone you don’t know every well, what’s the generic gift you get that you figure most people like? For closer friend, you would have a special selection. Or your go-to outfit would be the one you fall back on if nothing else strikes your fancy, the one you know will be comfortable and suitable. My go-to gift is usually an animal from Heifer. The exception is any babies I hear about get a quilt. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-gift/505882.md?page=2)