Recently, in the course of my professional writing job, I received an email from the Associated Press, who like to occasionally send style guide tips or reminders. They’re typically either topical (e.g., election terminology) or seasonal–like this one I just received about Christmastime terms. When to capitalize “New Year” and what “yuletide” means, that sort of thing.
On the list, without fanfare, was the word “regifting.”
It was defined accurately–that’s the good news. (Seinfeld‘s place in our cultural bedrock, like seeing one of its coined terms make it into a dictionary, is still good news but old news. It’s good ole news.) The bad news: no attribution to Seinfeld in that definition.
Newman. There has to be such an enigma-wrapped-inside-of-a-Twinkie personality, huddling somewhere in the AP management, with control over such lists of words.
Potential readers of the book Seinfeld-ism (available on Amazon in hard copy and e-book) need not worry about any sort of unprofessionalism lurking in those pages. That brings us to the next reason why that little stocking stuffer is the perfect gift book for that loved one or friend or someone whom it pains you to be around because you wish they’d just get some help.
Help is here. Get it to them for Christmas/Festivus! And feel confident that it will be well received…
#4. No regifting necessary.
You need not worry about the writing quality of this book as a gift. Give it liberally, jovially, without fear of the receiver’s reaction, “They gave me this?”–as though it was Boggle. (Such merry-Christmas-moaning will focus on that tie rack or other knick-knack sure to come from Granny Beverly.) This…is the real babka of book writing; nothing “lesser” here. For one, it was effectively endorsed by the New York Times. I mean…the New–York–Times!