Inspiration Mondays: Gifting Each Other
I spent Black Friday much like any other Friday of my life. I went swimming before work, then worked all day, came home and walked Rascal, then I went out for dinner with my hubby. Because I am a health nut now, I exercised after I digested my dinner. Then I went to bed.
I did not spend it like this:
I have the tv off right now because I cannot bear the cacophony of all of the commercials for the stuff, stuff, STUFF WE COULD BUY. RIGHT NOW! GO! NOW! GET ALL THE STUFF!
It's not that I don't like stuff. In fact, I buy stuff all the time. I like shopping malls (on quiet days). I like online shopping. I like buying yarn. Lots of yarn. I like stuff.
I just don't like what happens to people when the holiday shopping season frenzy comes upon them. It scares me. A lot.
The longer I am with the hubby, and the more birthdays and Christmases and anniversaries we rack up together, the more I realize he is not a stuff person. Our gifts to each other recently are experiences: tickets to shows, trips together, dinner out... Even flowers are an experience: a way to show how much we brighten each others' day.
The thing is, I'm going home to my parents' house for Christmas, and there I will be confronted by people who might not share my "let's all just enjoy each other" talk. They'll bring us stuff. And they'll expect stuff. And it's not that they expect the best of the best from me. It's just that it's customary to trade stuff during the holidays. It would be too much out of the ordinary to not expect it.
So, this year, my goal was to bring gifts for these visitors to my family's home that would be experiences, while still technically being stuff. And when I went out to get some milk on Saturday, I found these on sale at the supermarket:
I'm hoping that, when they open these, the kids will settle down and start playing. And they won't be bored listening to the adults chat, because they'll be enjoying the game. And each other. And when they go home, they might pull it out with their parents and enjoy the game. And each other. And maybe that'll be a great gift.
You know. Each other. 'Cuz really, when we're not climbing over each other to buy cell phones at Walmart, what more is there?
I did not spend it like this:
I have the tv off right now because I cannot bear the cacophony of all of the commercials for the stuff, stuff, STUFF WE COULD BUY. RIGHT NOW! GO! NOW! GET ALL THE STUFF!
It's not that I don't like stuff. In fact, I buy stuff all the time. I like shopping malls (on quiet days). I like online shopping. I like buying yarn. Lots of yarn. I like stuff.
I just don't like what happens to people when the holiday shopping season frenzy comes upon them. It scares me. A lot.
The longer I am with the hubby, and the more birthdays and Christmases and anniversaries we rack up together, the more I realize he is not a stuff person. Our gifts to each other recently are experiences: tickets to shows, trips together, dinner out... Even flowers are an experience: a way to show how much we brighten each others' day.
The thing is, I'm going home to my parents' house for Christmas, and there I will be confronted by people who might not share my "let's all just enjoy each other" talk. They'll bring us stuff. And they'll expect stuff. And it's not that they expect the best of the best from me. It's just that it's customary to trade stuff during the holidays. It would be too much out of the ordinary to not expect it.
So, this year, my goal was to bring gifts for these visitors to my family's home that would be experiences, while still technically being stuff. And when I went out to get some milk on Saturday, I found these on sale at the supermarket:
I'm hoping that, when they open these, the kids will settle down and start playing. And they won't be bored listening to the adults chat, because they'll be enjoying the game. And each other. And when they go home, they might pull it out with their parents and enjoy the game. And each other. And maybe that'll be a great gift.
You know. Each other. 'Cuz really, when we're not climbing over each other to buy cell phones at Walmart, what more is there?
Comments
Thanks for another well written post!