--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Smith, you don't realize it's a privilege…" description: "\"“Smith, you don't realize it's a privilege to practice giving presents to others.' The way he did it was charming; there was nothing glittery and Chris..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f4/jack-kerouac-182_generosity_smith-you-don-t-realize-it-s-a-privilege_2552968.jpg" --- # Smith, you don't realize it's a privilege to practice… ![“Smith, you don't realize it's a privilege to practice giving presents to others.' The way he did it was charming; there was nothing glittery and Christmasy about it, but almost sad, and sometimes his gifts were old beat-up things but they had the charm of usefulness and sadness of his giving.” quote by Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f4/jack-kerouac-182_generosity_smith-you-don-t-realize-it-s-a-privilege_2552968.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f4/jack-kerouac-182_generosity_smith-you-don-t-realize-it-s-a-privilege_2552968.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1f4/jack-kerouac-182_generosity_smith-you-don-t-realize-it-s-a-privilege_2552968.jpg) > ““Smith, you don't realize it's a privilege to practice giving presents to others.' The way he did it was charming; there was nothing glittery and Christmasy about it, but almost sad, and sometimes his gifts were old beat-up things but they had the charm of usefulness and sadness of his giving.”” [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The act of giving modest, imperfect gifts carries a bittersweet charm, reflecting generosity and melancholy. **In simple terms:** Giving simple gifts shows caring and sadness. Key Takeaway Value the meaning over polish. Themes generosity humor nostalgia imperfection Mood nostalgic melancholic Type reflective humanistic When to use this quote - holiday gatherings - friendship - random acts of kindness - family traditions Key Concepts human connection gift theory Questions to Reflect On - What does a humble gift say about the giver? - How does imperfection enhance emotional value? A Different Perspective Gifts may be seen as insufficient if not matching expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gift/) [Gifts Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gifts-old-1537760/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Giving Presents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-presents-213835/) [Presents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presents/) [Sad Gifts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad-gifts-1537759/) [Sadness Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness-giving-1537761/) ## Related quotes > [Many delight more in giving of presents than in paying their debts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-sidney/many-delight-more-in-giving-of-presents-than-in-paying-their-debts/) [Philip Sidney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-sidney/) > [You need more fact in the dangerous art of giving presents than in any other social action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bolitho/you-need-more-fact-in-the-dangerous-art-of-giving-presents-than-in/) [William Bolitho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bolitho/) > [“What nonsense," he answered, "the very idea of giving presents to a man with whom we are perfectly satisfied and who is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-nonsense-he-answered-the-very-idea-of-giving-presents-to-a-man/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life's Highs... 1. Laughing hysterically 2. Dancing your heart out 3. Star gazing 4. Shopping 5. Going to the beach 6. Listening to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-s-highs-1-laughing-hysterically-2-dancing-your-heart-out-3-star/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [The whole music business in the United States is based on numbers, based on unit sales and not on quality. It's not based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/the-whole-music-business-in-the-united-states-is-based-on-numbers/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“Theologically Christmas Day is the greatest occasion for rejoicing offered to sinful mankind; but this aspect of it is so august and so great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/theologically-christmas-day-is-the-greatest-occasion-for-rejoicing/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Giving presents is one of the most possessive things we do, did you realize that? It's the way we keep a hold on other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-lively/giving-presents-is-one-of-the-most-possessive-things-we-do-did-you/) [Penelope Lively](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-lively/) > [The charming aspect of Christmas is the fact that it expresses good will in a cheerful, happy, benevolent, non-sacrificial way. One says: “Merry Christmas”-not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/the-charming-aspect-of-christmas-is-the-fact-that-it-expresses-good/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [My little girl, Anja, is really excited. We had a baby shower yesterday and she took the presents from everyone for me and was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessandra-ambrosio/my-little-girl-anja-is-really-excited-we-had-a-baby-shower-yesterday/) [Alessandra Ambrosio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessandra-ambrosio/) > [I see film roles as lovely presents that come along now and again. I feel really lucky and say thank you very much. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gambon/i-see-film-roles-as-lovely-presents-that-come-along-now-and-again-i/) [Michael Gambon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gambon/) > [“We all have something to give, in different gracious forms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-all-have-something-to-give-in-different-gracious-forms/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [If there's one thing I've always taken care of with my work, it's that it's never an advertisement for anything other than the work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jr/if-there-s-one-thing-i-ve-always-taken-care-of-with-my-work-it-s-that/) [JR](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jr/) > [There are those people when you're in their presents, the world seems to stand still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bulumko-pantsi/there-are-those-people-when-you-re-in-their-presents-the-world-seems/) [Bulumko Pantsi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bulumko-pantsi/) > [The center of all my enjoyments is the home wherein are my wife and children, and I have no wish to wander out from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/the-center-of-all-my-enjoyments-is-the-home-wherein-are-my-wife-and/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) > [All the Christmas presents in the world are worth nothing without the presence of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/all-the-christmas-presents-in-the-world-are-worth-nothing-without-the/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) ## More by Jack Kerouac > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I'm Catholic and I can't commit suicide, but I plan to drink myself to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-catholic-and-i-can-t-commit-suicide-but-i-plan-to-drink-myself-to/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [But, outside of being a sweet little girl, she was awfully dumb and capable of doing horrible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/but-outside-of-being-a-sweet-little-girl-she-was-awfully-dumb-and/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“For when you realized that God is Everything you know that you've got to love everything no matter how bad it is, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-when-you-realized-that-god-is-everything-you-know-that-you-ve-got/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“I'm an idealist who has outgrown my idealism I have nothing to do the rest of my life but do it and the rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-m-an-idealist-who-has-outgrown-my-idealism-i-have-nothing-to-do-the/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Most of them were running away from something―usually the law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/most-of-them-were-running-away-from-something-usually-the-law/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Non lo so, non importa e non fa nessuna differenza.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/non-lo-so-non-importa-e-non-fa-nessuna-differenza/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“And in the flush of the first few days of joy I confidently tell myself (not expecting what I'll do in three weeks only)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/and-in-the-flush-of-the-first-few-days-of-joy-i-confidently-tell/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I want a blaze of light to flame in me forever in a timeless, dear love of everything. And why should I pretend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-want-a-blaze-of-light-to-flame-in-me-forever-in-a-timeless-dear/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“For the next week that was all I heard - manana, a lovely word and one that probably means heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/for-the-next-week-that-was-all-i-heard-manana-a-lovely-word-and-one/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“O how wonderful life is, how miraculous, God made this and God made that", "how do you know he doesn't hate what He did:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/o-how-wonderful-life-is-how-miraculous-god-made-this-and-god-made/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Notoriety and public confession in the literary form is a frazzler of the heart you were born with, believe me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/notoriety-and-public-confession-in-the-literary-form-is-a-frazzler-of/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [I promise I shall never give up, and that I'll die yelling & laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-promise-i-shall-never-give-up-and-that-i-ll-die-yelling-laughing/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“The hot water pools are steaming, Fagan and Monsanto and the others are all sitting peacefully up to their necks, they're all naked, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-hot-water-pools-are-steaming-fagan-and-monsanto-and-the-others/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) [Explore all 936 Jack Kerouac quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) ## More Generosity quotes > [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I would have none of that rigid circumspect charity which is never done without scrutiny, and which always mistrusts the truth of the necessities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baptiste-massillon/i-would-have-none-of-that-rigid-circumspect-charity-which-is-never/) [Jean Baptiste Massillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baptiste-massillon/) > [I'm publicist, patron of nine charities, creative director, food consultant, recipe developer - and mum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-monroe/i-m-publicist-patron-of-nine-charities-creative-director-food/) [Jack Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-monroe/) > [The next time you're looking at a charity, don't ask about the rate of their overhead. Ask about the scale of their dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-next-time-you-re-looking-at-a-charity-don-t-ask-about-the-rate-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Businesses acting as businesses, not as charitable donors, are the most powerful force for addressing the pressing issues society face(s)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-elumelu/businesses-acting-as-businesses-not-as-charitable-donors-are-the-most/) [Tony Elumelu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-elumelu/) > [Both fact and logic seem to me to support the view that savings invested in privately owned economic tools of production amount to an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-a-harper/both-fact-and-logic-seem-to-me-to-support-the-view-that-savings/) [F. A. Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-a-harper/) > [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [I think more and more people are becoming much more sensitive to what they do with their money when they die, especially if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rippon/i-think-more-and-more-people-are-becoming-much-more-sensitive-to-what/) [Angela Rippon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rippon/) > [Children must early learn the the beauty of generosity. They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/children-must-early-learn-the-the-beauty-of-generosity-they-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [(I)f we are going to be kind, let it be out of simple generosity, not because we fear guilt or retribution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-f-we-are-going-to-be-kind-let-it-be-out-of-simple-generosity-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was always clear that I didn't want to just do pure charity. My thinking was definitely about looking at the levers in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohini-nilekani/i-was-always-clear-that-i-didn-t-want-to-just-do-pure-charity-my/) [Rohini Nilekani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohini-nilekani/) > [Love doesnt stake claims. It is free for the giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-minagar/love-doesnt-stake-claims-it-is-free-for-the-giving/) [Melody Minagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-minagar/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“Secure-attachment 7Rs show more generosity than average. Thus 7R has something to do with generosity—but its effect is entirely context dependent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/secure-attachment-7rs-show-more-generosity-than-average-thus-7r-has/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) [Browse all 3,867 Generosity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Smith, you don't realize it's a privilege to practice giving presents to others.' 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