On Gift Giving
I get really excited about buying gifts for people - the same sort of excitement and happiness I receive when making and sending care-packages to people I love. At minimum, I'll spend a complete month (or more) trying to figure out what to buy someone, making certain that it not only is a reflection of their taste, but also my love for them and the strength of our relationship.
I drive all over the city, haunt the internet, order from eBay, elbow old ladies to get the last one, hide at the back of antique shops, rummage through the attics of strangers...and then get things engraved. I have very rarely only given one item as a gift, but rather several items that complete a puzzle and a message, each piece having had hours of thought and care placed into it. Among my most prized gift gives was a photo album Dianna and I made for Natasha while we were in Scotland. She had desperately wanted to join us, but simply could not and so we created a sign that read: We love you and can't wait to see you in Scotland, Tash! Random (and varied) Scots folk carried the sign and we photographed them - we had pictures of the elderly, infants, sheep, priests, actors, girls, queens, boys, families and statues holding the sign. When I gave her the photo album and the sign, she cried. Then I cried. Then one of our a**hole friends took a photo that Tash later added to the photo album itself.
For these same sentiments, I am quite nearly jumping out of my skin because of a particular gift I have found for one of my dearest and most cherished friends. I can't even hint at it because they'll know what it is as soon as I post anything. Suffice it to say THAT it is an antique that I stumbled upon and that is the perfect reflection of who they are. My friend has just purchased a new home and I fly out tomorrow to visit and along with a birthday gift that I still haven't purchased, I had to buy a house warming gift - a part of the house warming gift is this antique treasure which I've just found, the other part consisting of a slew of items I've been collecting for the past month and setting aside for the occasion. I'm totally psyched, which isn't a term I use often, but it's the perfect word. I promise to post photos as soon as I can.
Aside: Best gift received, for me, was the graduation ring that Baba gave me when we decided to restart our relationship.
Anyone care to share what their best gift given has been and consequent best gift received?
I drive all over the city, haunt the internet, order from eBay, elbow old ladies to get the last one, hide at the back of antique shops, rummage through the attics of strangers...and then get things engraved. I have very rarely only given one item as a gift, but rather several items that complete a puzzle and a message, each piece having had hours of thought and care placed into it. Among my most prized gift gives was a photo album Dianna and I made for Natasha while we were in Scotland. She had desperately wanted to join us, but simply could not and so we created a sign that read: We love you and can't wait to see you in Scotland, Tash! Random (and varied) Scots folk carried the sign and we photographed them - we had pictures of the elderly, infants, sheep, priests, actors, girls, queens, boys, families and statues holding the sign. When I gave her the photo album and the sign, she cried. Then I cried. Then one of our a**hole friends took a photo that Tash later added to the photo album itself.
For these same sentiments, I am quite nearly jumping out of my skin because of a particular gift I have found for one of my dearest and most cherished friends. I can't even hint at it because they'll know what it is as soon as I post anything. Suffice it to say THAT it is an antique that I stumbled upon and that is the perfect reflection of who they are. My friend has just purchased a new home and I fly out tomorrow to visit and along with a birthday gift that I still haven't purchased, I had to buy a house warming gift - a part of the house warming gift is this antique treasure which I've just found, the other part consisting of a slew of items I've been collecting for the past month and setting aside for the occasion. I'm totally psyched, which isn't a term I use often, but it's the perfect word. I promise to post photos as soon as I can.
Aside: Best gift received, for me, was the graduation ring that Baba gave me when we decided to restart our relationship.
Anyone care to share what their best gift given has been and consequent best gift received?
Labels: Friendship
posted by just a girl at 12:46 PM
6 Comments:
COOL! The best gift I ever received was a pendant for a necklace that meant a lot to me at the time, even though the guy and I ended up breaking up and I think he's a fucking loser. When I got it I loved it so I hold on to the memory of the moment and not the memory of the loser guy.
I always give gift certificates so I don't really have a best gift giving moment! Gift certificates are awesome and don't need an ounce of thought ;)
Have fun on your trip! Fly safe, little birdie!!
Maria
The best gift I gave was a wedding ring to my wife, and the best gift I received was her answer of 'yes'.
Thank you for asking, Maha.
John
Aside from a few very thoughtful gifts from family and friends that have zero monetary value and massive thoughtfulness, gifts i will always treasure are the ones I received from people I do not really know for things they said I did that meant a lot for them and I never even remembered! Many times, I did not remember the people themselves!
I treasured the fact that they remembered something that was obviously so small to me and so huge to them. the gifts themselves were generally worthless but will always be priceless to me.
I believe the best gifts I've received have been my children. As for best gift given, my best friend had recently found out that her husband had been cheating on her and I surprised her at home while she was in bed, I packed up some of her items and we flew to Miami from a Wednesday to the following Tuesday. It was exactly what she needed to start her life fresh.
Have a great weekend away, Maha!
Colleen
My friends and I stopped gving one another gifts years ago :( but we do things together instead like spa days and weekends away for birthdays.
Thanks for sharing, everyone :)
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