Better Gift Giving

 Images from 1, 2, 3, & 4.

I did some serious thinking about Christmas gifts this weekend (though no serious buying). Prepare for rambling thoughts:

I love loads of different things. For example, I love stripes, sparkles, and Christmas sweaters, and I constantly want to buy all things fitting that description from J. Crew and Zara. And then there are the random things I love like this hippo door mat (hippos are my favorite animal) or awesome and quirky rubber duckies (which I collect). I also love statement necklaces and rings, Starbucks holiday lattes, deep green colors, mystery novels, and champagne. And this list is nowhere close to exhaustive! Anyway you clearly get the point. So you would think I would be a super easy person to buy gifts for since there is so much stuff to pick from. And I am going to go out on a limb and guess that most people love lots of different things just like me. So you would think buying gifts for everybody would be super easy. Just pick from one of the many things people love! And yet gift giving is not that easy, even for close friends and family (sometimes especially for close friends and family!). Some eBay study concluded that 60% Americans receive unwanted gifts. (Although I'm not so sure about the impartiality of a study conducted by eBay.)

Anyway, it occurred to me this year that all these unwanted gifts might be because we (specifically I) don't know our (my) recipients as well as we (I) should. I know my boyfriend's favorite color is red and my best friend's favorite color is purple, but I don't know what my mom's favorite color is. Or my brother's favorite animal. Or what kind of clothes my dad likes. Or what type of books my favorite girl friends read. So this year, I think I am going to try to get to know every one a little bit better. I'm going to email or write my usual recipients and ask them what are their favorite things, what they like to do in their free time, what sort of knicknacks line their shelves, and which stores they always come back to.  Maybe it won't lead me to the perfect gift this year, but hopefully as time goes on, I will be a better gift giver because I will be a better friend, daughter, sister, colleague, and girlfriend.

Ok sentimental holiday thoughts are done now!

Images representative of me loving champagne, deep greens, hippo accessories, and rubber duckies (especially 3-story tall ones)!