Tricky Business

It's right around this time every year that I come to the terrible dilemma of Christmas gifts.

Why does the nature of gifting have to be so complicated? I want people to know I care about them and get them something awesome, yet I don't want to spend a ridiculous amount of time on presents, nor a ridiculous amount of money. It's a conundrum.

And then there's the problem that you don't feel the same way about everyone you have to get a present for, even though you have to get everyone an equal level present so they don't compare and get hurt feelings... AND, some people I really do want to get great presents for won't get a very great present, because i'm just broke. Hahahah.

There's also those people who you really wish you didn't have to give a present to, but you do. Don't you hate that? Then there's those people who you get a present for and they don't reciprocate, which is always pretty awkward. I prefer to be on the giving end of those situations. Then at least the other person can be the one feeling guilty. Hahah.

Then there's the people who absolutely freak out over gift giving. They convince themselves they're terrible at thinking of what to get anyone, so they end up just not getting anything at all. Or, the person who takes what you say ("Oh, it's fine, you don't have to get me anything too big, don't worry about it!") extremely literally. That's the worst. It takes a gifted (ha ha) person to deal with those types. There's a fine line between subtle, helpful hints and outright telling the person what to get you.

And that is why the secret santa system is so ingenious... One person doesn't have to buy gifts for five other people, and nobody can talk about it with anyone else, so there's not much pressure.


I feel like homemade gifts are always so much better. I have received some expensive gifts over the years, and it seems like those are always the ones that I forget about the quickest; another terrible conundrum of gift giving. Sometimes the most expensive things have the least thought put into them. Sometimes they're the presents you put in your jewelry box/top closet shelf and permanently forget about. I think most people really would rather have something personal and homemade... It's cliche, but pretty true for me at least.

A problem I seem to have that nobody else does is that it's hard for me to adequately express my enthusiasm over gifts, even if I really like it. It's just weird. I always feel like i'm having to force my enthusiasm. So, if anyone reading this ever gives me a gift and I don't seem that thrilled, or I seem fake thrilled, chances are I really do like it. It's just my weird personality.

Unless you gave me something hideous or weird. Then i'm genuinely trying to fake enthusiasm. Hahaha.

This topic has just been on my mind a lot recently, and I just went to the mall today trying to find gifts for people... It's tough, isn't it?