So, originally my goal was to make several, if not all, of my Christmas gifts. Sometime around September each year, I always get this hair-brained idea. Well, it's not hair-brained if you've actually got, oh, talent and time and maybe a sewing machine. But each year around November, I quickly learn that making something usually costs just as much as it does to buy something nice and unique. And these days, time is money, so I've formed a new theory on Christmas shopping, and that is this:
If I see something, and I REALLY, REALLY want it for myself, then I go ahead and buy it and give it to someone else. This will most likely work really well for my sisters, since we have similar tastes. But it's usually a pretty surefire way to make sure someone likes your gift: if you like it, then they probably will too. For instance, I just bought something that I TOTALLY WANT for myself. I mean, I'm staring at it, wanting to open it and use it (it's killing me!)... and YET, I know that someone else will enjoy receiving it. I could totally justify opening it and using it for my own pleasure, and it's hard not to. But once I get over the pouting, I get some delightful satisfaction knowing that I get to give it away.
Of course, my new theory won't work as well for other people who I have to get gifts for... there are many things I like that they wouldn't and vice versa. But, for those "GOTTA HAVE IT NOW"-impulse buys, I get a little materialistic "buzz" from buying it, under the one condition that I have to give it away, unopened and unused, and I have to have one person specifically in mind to give it to. Otherwise, I end up buying a lot of stuff for the same person over and over again (some people are so fun to shop for, while others are just so darned difficult... it's like "Here you go, another fountain pen that you're going to return"), and I end up in a pickle. Hehehe. Like I said, this won't work for all of my Christmas shopping, but it's a lesson in sharing in some regards.
Also, my other new stipulation is no gag gifts. Not even gag gifts that are half-way useful. Because those are a waste of money, especially when you see that same item collecting dust, unopened, on someone's shelf a year later. Gag gifts are fun to open, but after those initial initial chuckles, the gift is worthless.
So yeah, these are my "gift-shopping Christmas resolutions." My cousin is coming for a visit next week, and I'm hoping we can hit the stores or something so I can get all of my shopping done. How's that for a goal, eh?
2 comments:
Sounds like a great goal.
That's so true... my sister and I have very similar tastes and we would always buy things that we would want. And I was always excited to see her open a gift that I knew she would want (and I wanted to). But, now, we draw names (and I think in your family you have enough people to draw names). Only the adults participate (meaning, Paul, myself, my sis, bro in law, my bro and sis in law and this year we are adding my sis' mother in law because she now lives with them). we all buy gifts for the parentals and for the kids (but when they reach a certain age, they will be incorporated into the name drawing). We draw names at thanksgiving and we tell no one:) I didn't know who paul had! we set a price limit ($20). And we even set up wish lists on amazon to give everyone ideas (and to give my mom ideas for us, too). That doesn't mean we buy things from amazon. It ends up adding another level of fun to christmas and for our family, we are only buying for two other adults rather than five so it is a money saver. just an idea... and, if I'm correct on Russo family history, there are a few birthdays in the next month?!?!?! This helps my family, too, because my bday is right before christmas.
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