We're Here to Help 251: A Bridge To Trash & Poop Plinko
Jan 19, 2026
Gareth and Jake tackle an unusual gift dilemma involving a persistent gift-giver. They offer hilarious strategies, like sending bird calendars and proposing charity donations. A listener's plight with a defecating bird leads to inventive solutions, including building a birdhouse and using a fake owl for distraction. Additionally, a pregnant listener shares a quirky neighbor's story that sparks humorous advice involving coffee cake and a fake baby. Tune in for laughs and creative problem-solving!
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Unwanted Gift Ritual From A Stranger
- A friend-of-a-friend named Charles began giving Amy and her husband highly specific gifts for holidays and arranged meetups to hand them out.
- The gifts created awkward reciprocity pressure and a social obligation Amy wanted to stop.
Cancel Group Gift Exchange Politely
- Tell the group you are not doing gifts this year and suggest donating to a charity instead.
- Offer to donate to charities your friends prefer to remove the expectation of reciprocated presents.
Shift Expectations With A Symbolic Gift
- Use a lighthearted physical cue to shift future gift expectations, like giving a bird calendar as a symbolic 'bridge to trash.'
- If the pattern persists, gradually reciprocate with increasingly silly or secondhand items to signal the relationship's new boundaries.