Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Thoughts on gift-giving

In less than a month, it'll be Amanda's birthday.  I've made it through Christmas and Valentine's Day in good shape, and she seems to have liked everything I got her.  Her birthday worries me a little bit though.


I've had lots of ideas, but I wonder what they say about me.

Amanda's a knitter, so neat yarn or knitting needles would seem like an obvious choice.  But I got her needles for Christmas, some yarn from a store in Toronto in February, and a skein of sock yarn this weekend, so I've gone that route before.  I really don't want to make Amanda think that all I've learned about her in the past eight months is that she enjoys knitting.


I could get Amanda a game for her 3DS.  She bought it a few weeks back, and is enjoying playing around with it.  I have some idea of the kinds of games she enjoys, but I don't want to get her something that's too similar to what she already plays (which could be boring and show that I pigeonhole her likes too narrowly) or too far away (which could be uninteresting and show that I don't pay attention to the kind of games she plays).


She could use a new frying pan, but I like giving gifts that are generally more fun than functional.  Besides, it could be taken as a hint that she needs to cook more often for me.


I also thought of making something for Amanda, but I kind of doubt I'll do that.  My knitting skills, while improving, are still a far cry from hers, and it could be taken as a "look how talented I am" moment.


Now, I've thought about all of these things, and I've reached one conclusion.




I'm an idiot.



Amanda will like whatever I give her, as long as I put some thought into it and give it to her out of love, rather than a general obligation to do so.  I don't think for a minute that she'd use my gift to her as a litmus test of my view of her.


...and that's why I love her!  <3

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