Being a man, I'm not inclined to
finish my Christmas shopping by
late July. Nor have I ever run with
the bulls to grab 5 a.m. door busters
on Black Friday. Rather I approach
this season of giving in a much more
strategic manner. First I ponder, then
reflect, then finalize my gift strategy.
Usually that means that I fervently
start my holiday shopping the week
after Thanksgiving. Sales or bargains
are not my motivation. I'm focused
on one thing - completing my list.
While I try to keep it personal,
the majority of my friends are
of a similar ilk. Therefore I'm
inclined to gift en masse. After
all few reside in the same city.
Nor do the majority live in the
same state. The odds that one
will not discover what another
got is in my favor. Therefore I
often give the same gift often.
I adore gift registries. As a adult, it's
tough to keep up on the latest toys.
Given my loved ones live far away,
having my finger on the pulse can be
tough. Fortunately my daughter "E"
goes on-line and selects whatever my
grand daughter "M" wants. All I do is
log on, fill my basket, and pay. Soon
they're loaded onto Santa's sleigh and
under the tree by Christmas Eve!
In today's world we live hither and
yon. It's no longer about traveling
over the river nor through woods.
Gathering family is as challenging
as herding cats. While we love each
other, getting together isn't easy.
Therefore we pick, wrap, and ship
our presents. While there's nothing
I would rather do than personally
hand over your gift, chances are
I'll be sending it a few days prior.
In the end what's most important
is that you know that you're loved!
I'll be honest, having someone
else wrap and ship is convenient.
But it is a little impersonal. What
is most pleasurable for me is the
joy of selecting the perfect paper,
ribbon, and gift card just for you.
While I love a pretty wrapped gift,
I don't like the cutting, folding, or
taping part of the process. I guess
that in order to tie it all up into a
tidy package, I have to do things
I normally don't like to do. So if
you need me, I'll be all in a knot.
As the deadline draws near, so does
reality. Why wait at the post office
when trusted friends can ship gifts?
Rather than send a gift to someone
I love in wrapping I loathe, I keep it
simple with Barney's or Bergdorf's.
All they do is change their ribbon to
red for the holidays. Once I'm done
there is no greater gift than knowing
my gift list is ALL WRAPPED UP!
