Finding the right gift this Christmas seems to be such a chore. No matter who the gift is for, the idea bank is empty. I can’t tell you how many gift sites that I have been to or how many pages I have scanned looking for the perfect gift. I know, before you start wagging your finger in my face, it’s the thought that counts, it’s more about the gift itself and what it says about your relationship with whomever it is for. Now, can I go back to whining?
Do you know that there are as many sites and gift ideas as there are mosquitoes in Minnesota, some say it is the state bird, so, yeah, that’s a lot of gift gifting sites and ideas. And still nothing has stuck, no idea, no gift has really cemented itself in me for my daughter or one of my closest friends.
If you want to buy a gift for the mailman, which I am not so onboard with because mine is quite the passive-aggressive letter carrier. If anyone parks within 3 feet of the mailbox ‘station’, he leaves a nasty note on their car, not asking, but telling the vehicle owner, in capital letters, not to park near the boxes. However, if you or anyone is outside at the time he just throws his mail around and mumbles loudly under his breath, well, not so much under his breath. Anyway, the point is, you can type ‘gifts for my mail person’ and tada, pages and pages of gift ideas for your mailman show up.
If you want to buy a gift for a co-worker you worked with 12 years ago, you could probably type that into the search tab and find a million and one sites that will offer gifts for people you hardly know anymore.
Here’s a question about gift giving searches, do you think that there are sites for people you’re friends with online, but not actually in real life?
Seriously, what do you get someone who has everything going for them? A daughter that just relocated across the country, started her career, bought a house, had a perfect princess wedding and a really awesome honeymoon in Jamacia? Or a friend that has her crap together and is currently packing her bags for a European Christmas cruise? If you come up empty, don’t feel alone, me too.
All of my gift giving struggles and a post on social media by a long time friends youngest daughter has reminded me that it IS time to cut the crap with gift giving. In this hectic world, I bet friends and family would choose door 3 if life were an episode of ‘Let’s Make a Deal’. Behind door number 3 you’ll find a lunch date, just the two of you. Behind door number 3, you’ll find quality time, a sandwich and maybe a board game date. See gifts don’t have to be the latest gadget or a designer bag, fad or come with a price tag that has you put off paying the light bill until next month. Gift giving is from the heart and that isn’t corny, it’s the truth. How many times have you gotten what you thought was the perfect gift only to see it unopened or unused six months later. The gift of love means more than the thought, not the impulse or competition.
Bottom line, know the receiver of the gift and know that often times it is the gift that you think is under thought or corny that will later become the most valuable.
Merry Christmas and do yourself a favor, in these last few weeks, with dwindling bank accounts and soaring stress, breathe, relax and go with your gut. Remember those gift cards the kids would make, ‘this guarantees you a foot rub’, ‘dishes are done without complaining’, etc… they usually leave the biggest impressions… don’t go for broke, go for amazing. Give the gift of you and your love.
