It's not just about giving.

Day 3 Gratitude - Ability to give and receive graciously

So in giving a gift, is it all about the intended recipient, or is it about the giver as well?

A gift, whether for a formal event such as birthdays or anniversaries, or in recognition of a special occasion such as a wedding, birth or achievement, or simply because you were thinking of someone and wanted to do something nice just cause, is the gift really just for the recipient or is the act of giving part of the whole "feel good" package? And is it the recipient's responsibility to ensure that the gift giver gets their owed "warm & fuzzies"?

Nay I say. The thought (and follow through) of the giving on the part of the giver (sounds a bit like a riddle) in itself should be suffice. To expect, and want, and need, a lavishing of praise and thanks from the receiver to get your own quotient of feel-good feelings says something about you and the nature of the act. Whether the gift is received with whole-hearted thanks, or greeted with more of a "Gee, thanks?" the fact that you took the time, thought and effort (not sure if re-gifting from the basement grab bag at the last minute counts) should be enough.

That being said, the gift receiver, if truly living a philosophy of Gratitude, should be able, regardless of the gift and how close (or off) the mark it hits personally, to give back to the sender a genuine thanks, if not for the gift itself (really, does anybody actually like smelling like a basket of fruit?), but for the kindness in deed it represents.
So the next time you Aunt Marge sends a set of placemats made from old shoe laces, or your significant other brings home a bunch of carnations (note to all men - wild flowers, roses, gerberas = more brownie points than carnations unless of course your better half has explicitly expressed an admiration for carnations), be sure and pen a heartfelt Thank-you card (a topic for another day) to Aunt Marge, or plant a big kiss on your other half in recognition of their thoughtfulness and be truly grateful that someone cared enough about you to think of you.

PS: And don't bury AM's placemats too deep in the basement, you want to be able to pull them out in time for her next visit. :)