9 Things You Can Give Away That Aren't Smiles

Give Away: A Book on a Plane

This gesture works for magazines too. But let's face it—books are more romantic. Here's how the routine goes: You buy the riveting book for the five-hour plane/bus/train ride. You tear through it, leave it in the back pocket of the seat in front of you as you leave. Not only have you delighted the next passenger who happens to feel her way through that pocket, hoping (dear lord) for anything to peruse other than the gift catalog and the airline magazine, you've also effectively reduced the length of her trip. Books, as we all know, have the power to shrink time in the leap of single page.