It seems to me that it is becoming increasingly popular for people to construct “guidelines” around gifts that either they, or their children, are being given. It is not uncommon for a bride or a groom to make a gift registry, or to ask the guests for a small (define small) monetary gifts instead. Recently, though, things seem to be getting extremely a little out of hand.
A couple of weeks ago Shauna Anderson wrote about a mother who felt she was ‘ripped off’ because siblings bring one present to her only child’s birthday party instead of two, when she has to buy a gift for both siblings. Please get over yourself. The act of giving a gift is meant to be one of beauty and sincerity, rooted with kindness and showered with generosity. I’m not saying that gifts aren’t great, we all love a good pressie. What I’m saying is that their sentiment is ruined the moment we politicise the act of gift-giving.
A few months ago my boyfriend bought me a clock for our one year anniversary. Yes, you heard that correctly, a clock. And yes, you’re right, it was ugly and totally not my style, but that was beside the point. I loved it because in the card he wrote ‘I’ve been with you a long TIME!’. The moment I read it I laughed and dismissed any feelings of disappointment confusion about why he’d bought me a clock at the door. What started out as a gift so bad (comparable to the knitted coat-hangers from nan at Christmas 2010), became an incredibly thoughtful token that I now smile at. He completely sidestepped the traditional ‘girlfriend’ gifts and I was over-the-moon flattered by it.
