# Which Gift Would You Choose? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 28, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963 "2008-10-28T17:29:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/1 "2008-10-28T17:29:48Z")
I was going to ask “Which Gift Should I Choose”, but I think I’ve got it picked out. Now I’m just curious how others would go with this… Anyway – I started working with my current company on October 28th, 1998. On Friday I received a (slightly early) e-mail congratulating me on 10 years with the company, and it had a link to a catalog of items from which I could choose. So…[which would you take](https://www.giftnetonline.com/app/giftnet/browse_level/10.html)? (If the link gives you an attitude, then go [here](https://www.giftnetonline.com/), enter company code 2078, and click the “10 year” box.) ---
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/2 "2008-10-28T17:47:46Z")
A bike. I really really need a bike, but I can’t afford one. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/3 "2008-10-28T17:52:33Z")
Wow, you guys get some sweet-ass shit. I’d go for the telescope, personally. I’ve always wanted one but it never makes it up the heirarchy of stuff I intend to buy. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/4 "2008-10-28T17:53:08Z")
Ahh, yes…a bike. Like the one my wife bought for me last week. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/5 "2008-10-28T17:55:04Z")
If I didn’t have an espresso machine already, I’d go with the espresso machine. But since I do, I dunno…maybe the telescope? I’d want to take a closer look at that saphire ring. I’m guessing it’s cubic saphonium. ---
**Author:** ![Grapefruit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@Grapefruit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grapefruit)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/6 "2008-10-28T17:55:38Z")
I’d get the stereo system. The sapphire and diamond ring elicited a “ooooh, preeety!” from me, but very impractical and would probably get lost with the heaps of jewelery already owned. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/7 "2008-10-28T18:04:42Z")
Probably either the espresso maker or the flatware set. I just have to share that the only time I was ever in your situation, one of my options was a chainsaw. I tried explaining to the HR director why maybe that was an odd choice, but he just didn’t understand. ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/8 "2008-10-28T18:18:53Z")
Impractical, yes, but I’d totally go for the Waterford bowl. That’s gorgeous and I love glass. Nice gifts. The only time I got anything for 10 years it was a little brass star pin with “10” engraved on it. Woohoo. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/9 "2008-10-28T18:19:01Z")
Man, that’s some pretty cool shit at 30 years. Hang in there, **Hal**! ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/10 "2008-10-28T18:22:16Z")
Gonna have to go with the espresso maker (the DVD player is pretty cool, too). I love how one of the 45-year gifts is what appears to be a set of chainsaws. :dubious: :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/11 "2008-10-28T18:23:52Z")
Wow. You got way better stuff than I did at my 15-year anniversary. I’d choose the bike. (I chose luggage. It was the only thing that wasn’t some king of knickknacky trinket that would just take up space at my place, and I actually needed luggage at the time.) ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/12 "2008-10-28T18:25:24Z")
The Griddler, definitely. I was also tempted by a watch, but I already have eight watches. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/13 "2008-10-28T18:47:02Z")
Our digital camera just shit the bed, so that’s what I’d pick. Otherwise, I was also tempted by the cookware or the GPS. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/14 "2008-10-28T19:18:18Z")
> [@Beadalin](#): > > I’d go for the telescope, personally. I’ve always wanted one but it never makes it up the heirarchy of stuff I intend to buy. This is almost precisely my answer. A telescope is exactly the cool sort of thing I would love to have but that I can’t justify actually spending money on. If I had a chance to get one for free, I’d jump at it. I considered the grill and the espresso maker, but I’m very picky about quality on food-related items, so it’s unlikely that I would find them acceptable. I’d have to do more research on exactly which models are being offered in this promotion. With the telescope, by contrast, I’m decidedly a layman, so a middling-quality version would be just fine. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/15 "2008-10-28T22:27:38Z")
I liked the three bowls. I’d have a hard time choosing between them… probably the steel one. After that I’d have chosen the bike. I don’t need a fancy, expensive bike, just one to ride around some. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/16 "2008-10-28T22:29:13Z")
Another vote for the telescope, but after that my next choice would be the beverage or wine cooler. However, we’ve got some Calaphon skillets and those things rock. Awesome selection! ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/17 "2008-10-28T22:31:14Z")
Hydro kit! Seriously, though, I would probably go with the telescope. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/18 "2008-10-28T22:37:48Z")
The pendulum clock looks rather nice. To recognise ten years’ service, my employer gives a $500 gift voucher from one of the main department stores. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/19 "2008-10-28T22:57:43Z")
GPS ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963/20 "2008-10-28T23:10:20Z")
Hot golf club action, although I’m assuming you already have a nice set of clubs or don’t play golf. As a former expensive telescope owner, I can say with some authority that if you don’t want it enough to buy it, it will be an expensive conversation piece within a month or two. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-gift-would-you-choose/469963.md?page=2)