Giving Gifts

Christmas is around the corner, I noticed since I began seeing gift categories in my mails.

I recalled hearing a woman on radio that she brought all kinds of nice Christmas gifts for her boyfriend, only to find out she received a $25 McDonalds gift certificate from him…she was wondering if she should stay with him or move on. No offense to dudes who give McDonalds gift certificates, but I would run as fast as I could if I were her.

Women seem to like to get men shirts; they especially love it when their men wear them. (And when they start “borrowing” your shirts, it elevates to a totally different level of intimacy.) Thoughtful gifts are universally appreciated. It is of course not about money. It is about how much you care and how much you care to give. Overall balance, I am guilty of receiving too many thoughtful gifts and not giving enough in reciprocation.

One of the worst gifts in North America must be fruit cake. I guess it is a traditional American Christmas gift (I don’t even bother to find out its history). Nine out ten people who receive it will wrap it up again and give to someone else. Lucky me, I received a 5 lb fruit cake in gift exchange in a summer party. Don’t know how many times the cake has changed hands since Christmas or since the Christmas the year before. I put an end to it—garbage can it went.