Some people are queen B's of gifts. I use a capitol B since you all know what it stands for and I believe these incredible gift givers are major B*****. OK, most of them are not, in actuality they are some of the kindest, generous friends we all have, I am truly just jealous. But the difference between a great gift giver and a mediocre to poor gift giver is, well, that they are poor. The previous sentence is incorrect but up until recently I actually thought that to be true. I have always thought myself as a terrible gift giver, and even though I would not categorize myself as poor I have always had these elaborate ideas of what gifts I would love to bestow on family and friends for such momentous occasions as one's birthday. I would graciously like to buy my sister a pair of Christian Louboutin's shoes, Or for a graduation present...I envision trekking around the villas of Tuscany with my two, 2013 high school graduate nieces (you go Shulas!! Yes they have the same name). Since my lofty ideas of extravagant presents have not yet come to fruition I am always disappointed and seem to get gifts last minute because honestly what could possibly trump Tuscany in the summer or Louboutin's any time of year.
Yesterday on our Whats App, my sister Rik sent us photos of a beautiful leather bag a friend of hers bought her as a gift after a recent trip to...you guessed it...Italy. As we all drooled over the deep moss color and how soft the leather looked and I imagined felt, I complained how I never buy anyone great gifts. My other sister Hindel went on a bit of a rampage, most people find rampaging sisters too intense but I was honored by what she had to say and honestly doesn't intensity just mean passion!?! Hindel reminded me (passionately) that I was always getting her stuff, lipsticks, nail polishes, magazines, books, Ziploc bags (yes you heard right, ?iplocks, she lives out of the country and this is a HUGE gift) and her list went on. She is right! To be honest I get very excited when Dov comes home with a $1 Slurpee from seven eleven. It really is not the amount you spend on a gift that matters but the thought, and the excitement of not expecting a gift. OK and maybe it should matter an eensy weensy bit that the gift represents the receiver in some way. A friend told me once that a gift is always a little bit of the giver and a little bit of the receiver. That line completely resonates with me, as I'm sure it does with you, when you look back on the gifts you have been given!
Tomorrow I have a birthday dinner to go to. And though I can not afford the Chanel bag that I know the birthday girl is coveting, I will be picking out a luxurious Chanel lipstick and a matching nail color for her. Because we all know the next best thing to your shoes matching your bag, is a matching lip and nail color!
Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Dragon
Aura dear, the night before my wedding (almost 13 years ago!!) there was a knock at my door. I opened the door to see a beautiful 1800flowers logo-ed box sitting there with my name on it. I opened it up to see my friend Aura, all the way in freakin ISRAEL was thinking of me on my special day. My friends and classmates were all in seminary when I got married. I welled up with tears because of that thoughtful gesture. It doesn't matter what the gift is, what matters is how you feel when you get it. At least that's what I think.
ReplyDeleteLove your posts!
Becky
Becky,
ReplyDeleteThank you! That is such a sweet memory! It seems since I wrote this blog, many friends have reminded me of the gifts I have given them for birthdays, weddings and what not. I appreciate the reminder and the feeling that maybe, just maybe I am a good gift giver!!! Thank you for that!