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[The Master Zombie]

Blimey, where do I begin?

Today, a close family friend who we have known for many years jetted off to work in Japan. He's made a business deal that will see him working in the country for a good three years. Cutting to the chase - he left me (and the rest of my family) a load of gifts worth hundreds of pounds. None of us wanted to accept them but he just said "Count them as your birthday & Christmas gifts for the next few years - seeing as I'm not coming back for a while".

My gifts were in two large cardboard boxes that were sealed with tape. I took them home and got to work on opening them about 20mins later. Now, I thought I could hear some Lego rolling around but nothing could prepare me for what I was about to find.

Box 1
Republic Attack Gunship
Republic Attack Gunship
V-19 Torrent
V-19 Torrent

Box 2
AT-TE Walker
AT-TE Walker
Magnaguard Starfighter
Magnaguard Starfighter

Stuck to box 1 was an envelope and inside was a letter. It said "According to what I've read on the internet, you lot like to buy multiples and make armies?! Well, it's far gone from my days with Airfix models but what the heck - this'll give you a kick start to your Clone Wars collection seeing as you don't have anything. Enjoy!

P.S. If there's anything extra you want, use the £30 worth of gift vouchers included with this letter to bulk up your Clone Army. Equally, if you want to return anything then just use the receipts (also included with this letter). Just remember to return the gift vouchers with the products."

So, what on earth do I do with this? As you know, back in October I said I was very lucky (considering the financial crisis) to be able to afford £17.98 worth of Lego in the Woolworths 3 for 2 offer when it was on (I bought two IJ sets and a Rebel Scout Speeder). To suddenly get all this is.....well, just crazy. I missed the original Republic Gunship & the original AT-TE when they first came out during Episode II and to suddenly have the new ones now with such ease doesn't feel right. My chase is for them is over yet I did nothing to earn them.

I've got a couple of questions in my mind:
1. Shall I take any of these back? Like, I don't need all this do I?
2. I suppose there's no better time to learn how to modify a Lego set than now. Has anyone modified their Gunship or AT-TE?

I'm seriously considering taking it all back, getting a full refund and sending the money back somehow. There are times in life when you just can't accept such gifts. That money could be given to charity or donated to aid the people of Africa.

I'm sure you understand what I'm saying here. This is about me and my morals. This is my good-side. The side of me that says no to greed. I'd hate to be rich. Imagine getting everything you wanted with a click of your fingers. I myself would get bored with not feeling the rewards of hard work and effort.

The Receipts
All items were bought in Argos during a Lego Star Wars sale.

Receipt 1
Republic Attack Gunship - £59.99
AT-TE Walker - £52.49

Free £10 gift voucher issued (due to store promotion).

Receipt 2
Republic Attack Gunship - £59.99
AT-TE Walker - £52.49

Free £10 Gift Voucher issued (due to store promotion).

Receipt 3
V-19 Torrent - £37.49
V-19 Torrent - £37.49

Free £5 Gift Voucher Issued (due to store promotion).

Receipt 4
Magnaguard Starfighter - £29.99
Magnaguard Starfighter - £29.99

Free £5 Gift Voucher Issued (due to store promotion).
_________________
FBTB: The Final Chapter
See it come to an end, starting Monday 2nd February 2009.

[ZombieSolo]

Well... let me be the first to say: Pics or it didn't happen!

[KungZombie]

If dude gave 'em to you as a gift, and you like LEGO, then ya keep 'em. Sending 'em back or reselling would be tacky and kinda rude, imo.

Maybe keep one of each for yourself and give one of each to that perfect girlfriend of yours who loves LEGO, too.
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[Zombie Jones]

If you don't want them, I take donations.
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Will litigate (or tactically consult) for food.

[neko_li]

From the apparent guilt you feel accepting these as a present, it seems to me like you're an awful good and kind person who would rather see $20 spent on someone who needs it more than on a nice dinner for yourself.

To those who do the most good come the greatest rewards. I don't think that you in any way don't deserve these. Now, whether you need two of everything is up to you, but i don't think its greedy if you do keep them all. They were a gift. Enjoy them.

I collect, but i never play with mine or build armies or anything, so i have no reason to buy two of anything for myself. But thats just me and thats why. I still buy the occasional set for my son as well (oh he's still quite spoiled i think). What you prefer is totally different tho.

It's all up to you in the end, but you sounds like you highly deserve it. I spent $331 on all the new CW sets (didn't buy the AT-TE again.), and i don't feel any guilt... In fact i think i did some good bargain shopping.

[Brick Fett]

These where a gift to you. Enjoy them and always remember that someone did something this nice for you.

I know to me knowing that the person I gave a gift like this to enjoyed it would be the greatest thank you I could recieve.
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Brick Fett

[patientzombie]

The phrase,” Never look a gift horse in the mouth” comes to mind.
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Little Angel go away. Come again some other day. The Devil has my ear today, I'll never hear a word you'll say.
Sim sala bim bamba sala do saladim _(l-)
The Department of Redundancy Department

[Joedward]

Dude, nice.

First off, they were all bought cheap, so it'd be silly to return them, you'd never get top dollar with just the receits. Total rewtail value there is £480, not including the £30 in vouchers.

Second, if you really have no idea what to do with them, I'd love an AT-TE free of charge.






Third, and in all seriousness, keep them all. You've got some fantastic sets and a bunch of vouchers to spend on whatever or whoever you wish. Keep that in mind as there's less than 2 months until Christmas.
I don't recomend you open all the sets, perhaps one of each, or maybe just the ones you really want. The rest you can spend more time to decide on. Do you want to be a parts monkey, would you like to give a set to a close, younger relative for Xmas or Bday, how about just keeping them boxed up until the value is spiked so high it's stupid and then sell one of them, possibly even sell one or two of them and turn in the cash to Children in Need.
These were a gift to you, and a very generous one at that, whether you deserved it or not, considering the value of it all it does seem just a bit rude to find an excuse to chuck them. Keep them, cherish them, remeber who gave them to you and you'll think of something eventually.

Lucky you, but still, to echo Donald Q.

[bigospedros]

Keep them and make a donation to charity yourself.

The person that has done this for you has made the effort to know what you like and create a special gift for you. If I was them and found out they'd all been returned ... even if the money went to charity ... I'd be slightly offended.
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I used to post here as "Big Pete" but my account got screwed ...

My Current Lego Collection (thanks Brickset!)

[ZombieAndi]

Pics!
And then be happy that you have such a great friend.
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~Andi

Flickr•Brickshelf

[Cei]

Keep them - your friend gave them to you. You didn't ask for them, nor steal them - your friend's generosity is what gave you them, and in a way, spurning it isn't nice either.

Open one of each set, and maybe sell/return the second to buy other sets? Or of the sets you like open both. Personally, I'd open both Gunships & AT-TEs and return one of the V-19s and Magnaguards. You'll then have just under £70 + £30 in vouchers to get some other stuff.

[Max Rebo]

You could sell a few sets and use the money to send your family friend a Christmas hamper.

[TK-425]

I would keep them. As people have already said, it's not like you stole them or pressured your friend to get them.



Although if you feel guilty, I accept donations of Clone Wars sets.
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Am I the only one who sometimes comes here, logs in, and fools around?
Life finds a way. ~Ian Malcolm, Jurassic Park

[DestructiveZombie]

I would keep them as well.
I would keep one of each fully bult, and the multiples use for just building for fun.
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DeviantART|Brickshelf

[Dalek Zombie]

I suggest you combine each multiple to make an "uber-set". So, for example, cobine the RGS conships and make a LAAT/E. use the extra panels so you can have both stickers. Build an AT TE and use the other set to fix gaps in the panels, make the legs longer, etc...
Or give it to a fellow Doctor Who fan who needs help constructing a certain super-laser.... Er, you didn't hear that, right?


But don't throw it away!
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My site which can only be described as terrible. I also haz Flickr and BrickShelf.

[Sandtrooper Platoon]

Dude! Get over the guilt, build them and have fun. With what you got there, you can make two awesome dioramas: "Clones on the warpath" and "V-19 Squadron take on the P-38's"

You could do something like this.





Imagine the possibilities. Enjoy the windfall!
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"Wow! Did you see that Jawa's head come apart man?!?

[RebelZombie]

If you really want to help people that need the money then don't get rid of them yet. Hold on to them for a few years and sell that stuff on ebay. You'll earn way more money to give away.

And since the money goes to charity you'll feel better about scalping.
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|)0U{|-|3 |)0U{|-|3===================================

[dWhisper]

Yeah, they were gifts, and should be enjoyed as such. He obviously put some thought into giving you multiples for a specific reason, which means that there's something there. You shouldn't jab at a nice gesture like that by selling them of.

(oh, and like Don said... pics or we'll just chalk this one up to empty boasting, like so much else we see in any "gifts" threads)
_________________
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe. - Albert Einstein

[Dalek Zombie]

Do you mean he shouldn't? You wrote should.
_________________
My site which can only be described as terrible. I also haz Flickr and BrickShelf.

[The Master Zombie]

Right, I've taken a couple of pics and have asked Andi to post them for me later on (because I'm a noob with photo sharing websites at the moment ). Yesterday, I sold the two Magnaguard Starfighters to a friend because he is hoping to build a large Separatist MOC in the next month or so and doesn't live near an Argos to take advantage of the offers. If I change my mind and decide to have one of them back, then he'll happily swap. I'm more of a Republic fan than a Separatist anyway.
_________________
FBTB: The Final Chapter
See it come to an end, starting Monday 2nd February 2009.

[ZombieAndi]

I uploaded the two photos from Master to my Brickshelf account.
You can see them here:
(click for bigger pic)



Master, enjoy your Lego, and if one day you want to upload a picture by yourself, don't hesitate to ask me for instruction.
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~Andi

Flickr•Brickshelf

[The Master Zombie]

Thanks Andi!

[DestructiveZombie]

I really like what dW said. It was a gift, and seems kinda rude to just sell off half of it. I would keep them cause of that reason. What you do with them, that's up to you, but I wouldn't sell them.
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DeviantART|Brickshelf

[NinthCircle]

At its best, gift-giving is as much about the person giving as it is the person receiving.

This gift is an act by an individual (your friend) to give another you something you wouldn't normally be able to buy.

He went through time and thought to decide how this would please you. He derives pleasure from the his imagined result of your pleasure of owning these sets.

Generosity is not something to be frowned upon. There is the rare case that someone wants to manipulate another by bestowing gifts or favors. If your friend is like that then you can refuse. This does not sound like this is the case.

It would actually be very selfish of you to refuse the gift. Think about it from your friend's perspective. He can't use these items anymore and he probably was very excited to give you such a magnanimous gift. If you went through the trouble to think about someone else and go through the trouble of giving them something that would blow them away, you'd probably be very upset that the other person would refuse.

You might think it's greedy to keep them, but it's actually greedy to refuse. You're hoarding your conception of "earning". That kind of grasping attachment to the idea of "earning" distorts the idea (your friend's) of "true giving".

Your friend really wants you to have this stuff. Be amazed. Be grateful. But by all means don't let guilt ruin a beautiful gesture.

[Joedward]

[ThePlasticJedi]

[dWhisper]

In just about every "hey, check out what I found" thread, there are typically 2-3 more latch-ons that talk about something amazing and fantastic that they found. You can look almost all over the place here and find it, sadly.

It's not really a reflection on you, truth be told, but just on the history we've had as a forum. Lots of kids. Less truth.
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Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe. - Albert Einstein

[MingoDave]

There's a lot of good advice in this thread. You have options ranging from "keep it all and enjoy" to "give it all to me!"

I think there's something to be said about receiving a gift (or compliment) graciously. While it's never good to be so full of yourself that you feel entitled to any gifts and praise you receive, being so humble that you refuse any compliments or gifts that others choose to give you shows a lack of social grace or a lack of self-consideration.

I think it's great that you recognize the gap between your present "gifted" situation and the extreme poverty that others suffer. However, you need to recognize the spirit and character of your family friend's gift to you. He saw your love for Lego and (probably) your struggle to acquire. He went far beyond what you dreamed of, didn't he?

While I don't know exactly what I'd do if I were in your situation, I hope that you will think through your options carefully. I imagine that I would be inspired to pass on my good fortune, either by selling one of the sets and donating the proceeds or giving the set itself to a charity (Salvation Army or some organization that gives out Christmas toys to children in need) or seeking out a child in need who would enjoy it (around here we have "Angel Tree" programs that give gifts to children of prison inmates on behalf of the parents).

Rejoice in your good fortune- don't wallow in it- and remember to pass on a blessing to someone else.

[The Master Zombie]

[JayfoZombie]