Robin Covington: Would you return a gift … or just suffer?

To return or not to return … that is the question.

OK, so we've all survived the frenzied, controlled chaos of Christmas morning. Paper flying everywhere, people shaking gifts within an inch of their life instead of just opening them to see what it is inside, the 5 a.m. wake-up call from kids too excited to sleep. The photographs of you wearing your jammies and with bedhead — unless you've gotten up before the previously mentioned wake-up call to get all gussied up.

Good times.

So, you sit back on your sofa and smile at the joy on your children's faces, the way your significant other lovingly cradles the gift you spent hours thinking about, and the low hum of the voices from the television where it is tuned to the 24-hour constant loop of A Christmas Story. All is right with the world … or is it?

Because nestled in the pile of gifts at your feet is a present — let's say it's a Chia pet or one of those adult footie pajama thingies — and you wonder how your Aunt Myra/mother/spouse could have possibly thought you would like it? Clearly, they don't know you at all. And, now because of them you are faced with the most difficult question of all … do you return it?

I think people fall squarely into one camp or the other. You are either comfortable returning a gift or you're not. A few are situational "returners" depending on who gave them the gift. You'd have no problem exchanging a gift from your best friend but wouldn't dream of returning the gift of Prince William/Kate Middleton salt and pepper shakers from Grammy. (You, however, have no problem only bringing them out of your closet on those occasions when Grammy visits.)

My husband, The Main Man, is a die-hard, "no-returns" guy. Our closets are full of presents still in their boxes just waiting for the period to pass when he will allow me to donate them to Goodwill. He wouldn't dream of re-gifting (people talk), so he suffers through the gifts of hats suitable for a man twice his age, ugly sweaters and books written by or about political figures he hates.

I, on the other hand, am a passionate returner. I would hate to think of a person suffering through a gift I gave instead of exchanging it for something they want. I work hard for my money and I like to think I can use it to make people happy and not clutter the backs of their closets.

In my Christmas novella, Secret Santa Baby, the hero spends the book giving the woman of his dreams the gifts featured in the song Santa Baby. He's her Secret Santa at the office and he puts a great deal of thought and heart in choosing his presents as he seduces her to be his, once and for all.

And, I can tell you on good authority, that she didn't want to return any of them. ; )

Where do you fall in the great battle between those who return those who do not?

Happy Holidays!

Here's the blurb for Secret Santa Baby (courtesy of Entangled Publishing):

Tessa Stoneman hasn't been able to get longtime friend and business partner Nicholas Boone out of her head since they shared a single kiss in college. Even when she dated Nicholas's best friend. Now that she's giving up her position at GameNerdz to strike out on her own — and now that she's single — maybe it's the right time to see if there's still something between them.

Nicholas knows once Tessa leaves the company she helped found, they might drift apart. Before she starts her own company in the new year, he wants to woo the woman he fell in love with during college. So he poses as her Secret Santa, gifts her with items from the song Santa Baby and plans a big reveal at the company holiday party. But when his best friend wants to rekindle his romance with Tessa, will Nicholas lose his last chance?

Robin Covington is a debut author who writes sizzling contemporary romance. Her stories burn up the sheets . . . one page at a time. She loves her family, tasty man eye candy and comic books. Her website is RobinCovingtonRomance.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook and Twitter (@RobinCovington).