Gifted at Giving

It is better to give than to receive. It's the honest truth. As much fun as it is to open gifts, it's just as much fun to give gifts, especially during the Christmas season. I just have one problem.

I'm a terrible gift-giver.

That is the honest truth. Whenever a birthday comes around, or I go out shopping for Christmas presents, I have a mini seizure as I rack my brain to figure out what in the fat world I'm going to buy for someone. I always go in with that mentality of 'I'll just look around till I find something perfect'. I might as well say, "I'll just wander around aimlessly for a few hours until my feet hurt and my eyes are sore from reading price tags and I get even more convinced that I'm a terrible person because I don't see anything that's just perfect, except for all those things that I want to buy for myself which I can't do."
You can only make so many trips around Wal-mart before the other customers start staring at you in bewilderment. Yes everybody, I know I've passed this aisle 14x . . . I keep hoping it will magically turn into a different aisle full of wonderful gifts right in front of my eyes! Yes, yes, I did notice that it's the Tupperware aisle. You never know what kind of things can happen around airtight containers. You really just never know . . .  

Some people have the knack of gift-giving. I've had several relatives that always got me something surprising, but wonderful. I'm envious of them. I would steal their abilities if I could. I think good gift-giving could technically be considered a superpower, but that's just me. Now that you all know how bad I am at picking out gifts, I'm going to delve into what I think are the three main categories of gifts. This is ... probably useless. However, I feel it my duty to tell you.

Category 1: Useful gifts
These are the gifts that we can always use. It's when you see a need or hear a request and you fill it by giving a gift. Very nice and thoughtful, but at the same time, it's something the person would probably have bought in the future anyway. Not that that's bad. It does save them money and time and they know you were observant when thinking of a gift. This a gift that gives back in the long-term.

Category 2: Funny gifts/Inside jokes gifts
These are the gifts that you will never ever use, but make you laugh anyway. They are good for very close friends (in addition to a real gift is best) and provide much merriment at the moment they are opened. These gifts are not usually long-term, but sometimes the joy of opening such a gift is enough to make it worthwhile.

Category 3: Perfect gifts
These are the gifts that you might never have thought of getting for yourself, but once you see it you know that you are going to love it. LOVE it. They are surprising and usually insightful. In case you didn't guess, I have never been able to give this kind of a gift. But I have received a perfect gift or two. And it's the best. This goes back to the superpower thing.

I'm still struggling to buy the last few gifts for people on my Christmas list, but I just keep on hoping that someday, somehow, when I least expect it . . . I'll find that perfect gift for someone.

Until then, I'll just keep wandering around the Tupperware aisle. 

m(r)