Gifts

Christmas season is firmly upon us, and no one is complaining about it now that we're past Thanksgiving and the ugliness of Black Friday. I never have and probably never will participate in such a thing as that, but I do certainly participate in gift exchanges. As the act of shopping is not something that I delight in, I don't much enjoy the procurement of gifts. A common refrain for me is "I hate this. I hate this. I hate this."

Of course I do it anyway, which is a testament to how much the intended recipients mean to me. It's actually an instructive experience. Ideally, the selection of a gift is very easy. If I know the person as well as I should, then it should be a very simple matter to settle on one of many interests and needs that I am familiar with in the specific person's case and then buy something that pertains to said interest or need. Sometimes I find I don't really know the person so well.

Gifted

A dear loved one sent me a package of some nice meats as a belated birthday gift. Naturally I ate some of it immediately, so little do I typically keep in the pantry. As a matter of fact, I'm embarrassed to say that I checked carefully to see whether it was precooked, and just ate it cold. I know that's not right, but it was my choice, and I stand by it. The sausage links were delicious as they were, and I was in no mood to wait for them to be hot.

It was curious that the deliverer of the package opted to place the box underneath our door mat. The box was not small. I would say that it was about the size of a regular shoebox, so I can't believe that the reasoning could have involved hiding it from a potential thief. As there's no other possible motive for not putting it on top of the doormat, I'm just at a loss to explain it. Perhaps next time I will lie in wait to demand an explanation.

What Do You Call It? A Wallet!

I got a new wallet from my father at Christmas. I figure that puts the tally at about ten wallets from my sister and I to him in childhood, and now finally one coming to me from him (which is unbalanced, but not too bad when one considers how the book deficit slants the other direction). It's a very nice wallet, and almost certainly is the nicest that I've ever had. It's made of supple leather, and after some weeks in my pocket still smells like a department store. I think that's good.

It's a considerably more mature wallet than those I've had before with chains and ostentatious insignias. Used properly, it will probably help create more flattering lines on my form, and will be somewhat more impressive when I remove it in the presence of a lady. I say used properly because I'm not exactly the easiest on my possessions. As obsessive as I get you'd think I'd treat them very well and I mean to, but my resolve breaks and I end up going from unreasonable precautions to none at all.

Presently Speaking

Christmas is past, but for me one thing lingers in my mind, and that is buying gifts. It does happen to a lesser extent through the year, after all. It's not something that's hard for me as a rule, but can be more or less difficult depending on the person in question. That must be true for everyone. I guess you don't want it to be too easy, which suggests in my mind someone who is single minded about conveying what they want all the time. It just sounds very selfish. A person seems more virtuous if they're giving off clues unwittingly, but you do need those clues. I'm not interested in some kind of great challenge.

I believe in gifts that are personal and reflect my knowledge of and connection with the person in question. I am not against receiving gift cards, but prefer not to give them if I can help it. They can be personal to some extent provided they are not cash cards (which do have their value as gifts), but I find them unsatisfying. They say that stores love selling gift cards because a surprising number of people don't even use them, and those that do invariably spend a little more than the value of the card. I've found that to be true, but as I've said my objection is in giving them, not receiving.