9 Things You Can Give Away That Aren't Smiles

Give Away: The Clothes Off Your Back

This idea seems like a challenge, and it may very well be. But the next time a good friend admires your hand-knit pink pom-pom hat, pull it off of your head and hand it over. What may ensue is a reverse tug-of-war (your desire to give versus your friend's desire to keep you from giving too much). Regardless of who wins, however, you'll feel elated by your offer and so you will your friend: Not that many people in this life have a pal who will gladly surrender the hat off her head or the necklace off her neck. Gonzo generosity of this variety may feel a little over-the-top, but it embodies what generosity ought to be—spontaneous and demonstrated with the objects that we value enough to want (or wear) ourselves.