When To Give a Gift

During the winter holidays, considering all of our gift giving decisions, we could listen to some economic advice.

The Downside of Giving Gifts

As we start to plan our gift giving for this holiday season, we should remember preference falsification and deadweight loss.

A Return to the Downside of Gift Giving

During the holiday season, our gift giving might have less value than we expect because recipients engage in preference falsification.

The Downside of Gift Giving

During the holiday season, our gift giving might have less value than we expect because recipients engage in preference falsification.

How to Give a Better Gift

In somewhat unexpected ways, our opinion of a present can depend on whether the gift wrapping is sloppy or neat.

An Economist’s Gift Giving Dilemma

After an economist long ago told us that gift giving adds less to economic activity than the price of the present, a pro-gift giving group disagreed.

What We Might Not Want to Know About Gift Giving

Looking at the numbers from the National Retail Federation, we do not see the value of the unwanted gifts that might be subtracted from holiday spending.

The Gift You Didn’t Want

Although you’ll see that the Amazon reviews for How to Avoid Huge Ships are hilarious, it’s still one of those unwanted gifts that creates deadweight loss.

Almost Everything We Need To Know About Gift Giving

Looking at what we buy and what we return, we can ask an economist and a psychologist for some gift-giving advice about our holiday spending.

Why We Give The Wrong Gifts

When we receive presents that disappoint us, gift giving creates deadweight loss that diminishes the economic boost from holiday spending.