Christmas presents and Christmas past

doi:10.1136/bmj.323.7327.1463

BMJ 2001;323:1463 ( 22-29 December )

Filler

Christmas presents and Christmas past

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

The December issues of magazines for general practitioners often contain articles about patients giving presents to theirdoctors. These articles urge unsuspecting registrars to considerthe hidden agenda of patients bearing gifts and make suggestionsabout how to respond. However, there is one solution with whichI live comfortably and have never yet seen suggested in print $---$ givethem something back. I can almost hear the gasps of horror, yetthis is not nearly as onerous as it sounds and should not involveanything expensive. Nevertheless, it is certainly not appropriateforeveryone.

I am talking about the chronic givers $---$ elderly people and those who are doctor dependent. One woman has kept me in eight varietiesof home made jam for years. To her I give excess produce frommy garden (whether it is suitable for incorporation in jam ornot). Patients who insist on bringing chocolate for my children. . . [Full text of this article]