Soon To Be Classics

Thursday, December 08, 2005

The Presence to Give Presents



I have to admit, and you probably won't believe this, but I really hate getting gifts. Several years ago, I was pretty much dirt poor and couldn't afford to buy anyone gifts. Not my girlfriend, her family or my own family. I made my parents a totally lame sign with the family name on it to hang in front of the house. (They never did.) However, that Christmas, I ended up getting a lot of gifts and it really turned me off on the whole process. It's embarassing to sit there and open a gift while everyone looks at you. I don't know why but it just makes me uncomfortable.

But, I love giving presents. I know that someone will say "well other people like to give gifts to YOU so you should let them have their fun". It doesn't mean I enjoy it any more. I have given a few "great" gifts in my life when I've had the rare burst of insight or stumble across the perfect present. But that is rare. I think I've done pretty good, but it's been a while since I've hit that "perfect" gift.

So now I have two little ones to buy presents for. I have already decided that when they reach the age that they'll remember their presents, I want to make sure they get something that they will remember forever. I remember my sled, my bike, and my Six Million Dollar Man Action Figure (yes, I'm old). A lot of the gifts today are very disposable. I want their Christmas to be special and I want to have fun giving them their gifts. My boy is 2, and I really don't have an idea what to get him. That doesn't make it any easier though.

I took this picture last week after handing them the Toys R Us ad. Notice how hard J is concentrating on the video game ad. Like father like son, no?

And Santa, for me, I really don't want anything.

posted by Mkae at 8:48 PM

3 Comments:

  • Six Million Dollar Man Action Figure was so cool but something like that would never fly in todays market.

    By Blogger Brad, at 5:10 AM  

  • You think you're old? Action figures hadn't even been invented when I was a kid. Unless you count Barbie.

    I remember getting my first sled. Bicycle, yeah, but it wasn't a Christmas present. (You didn't ride a bicycle in December in Maine, so a bike tended to be more of a warm-weather present.) Aside from that, I don't remember actually "getting" specific gifts, though I do remember "having" them.

    By Blogger Major Rakal, at 6:46 AM  

  • You know what Mark. I think you are getting exactly what you want for Christmas:

    Time with your family.

    I know that is all my parents wanted for Christmas. I tried to beg other ideas off of them, but they wouldn't budge. They just wanted me home for the holidays and to spend my week off with them. How can I turn that down?

    Last year, I didn't go home at Christmas, telling myself and anyone that asked that I needed to spend Christmas on my own just once to understand what it feels like. I cannot imagine ever doing that again, while I can avoid it. My parents, now, mean more to me than ever before, and evidently they feel the same way.

    So your gift (like mine) is just to spend time with family, because who knows how much of that time we all have remaining.

    (Sorry if that came off too sappy, but my point is that a gift does not have to be a material possession...)

    By Blogger BubbaJoe, at 2:01 PM  

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