[MR] Tokens left for A&S entries was gift giving and A&S judging

[Rebecca Day]

>More recently I have watched this kindly gesture turn into something that
holds almost no meaning any longer, on two levels.

Possibly no meaning for you, but not necessarily for others.  

You know, when I was active in A&S displays and competitions, I was so
grateful for every token of appreciation I got and I paid zero attention to
how many tokens other people got in comparison, or whether the same token
was put down at every entry.   Some were useful things, others not, some
handcrafted, some purchased. I never once thought 'Oh my God, how dare
someone put down a computer printed business card and a Hershey kiss next to
my handwoven cloth?'  I ate the chocolate and used the business card to
contact the person and thank them.  Often, the back of the card held a
personal message.  The message was what mattered.  It could have been
written on toilet paper, for all I cared.

I have business cards - they were a gift to us as baron and baroness, and I
use them because 1) they were a gift, and in my philosophy, gifts should be
displayed and used and 2) my handwriting is appalling.  If I put down a
card, there's a good chance the recipient will know who I am.  Otherwise,
probably not.  

And I don't see anything wrong with showing appreciation for artisans at all
levels of achievement, even leaving something for the 'horrible' entry.  The
token and note given to the 'horrible' artist may be the nudge she needs to
push on to the next level. 

Bottom line, it's not for any of us to decide what has meaning for someone
else.  If you want to give a few specially selected tokens to entries that
really impressed you, that's fine.  But it's also fine for someone else to
decide to show appreciation for everyone who has chosen to take the risk and
put their creations out for public scrutiny.  That takes courage, especially
for a beginner, and I think it should be rewarded.

Margret