Gift Giving...
I am AWFUL at giving gifts. At Christmas, I think my family inwardly cringe when they see me walk in with wrapped box. They collectively die a little inside each time one of them opens a goofily-wrapped package I proudly hand over. It's okay, I readily admit it: I'm just not good at it. I can count on one hand the gems I may have had over the years, like when I gave Jenn a trip to trapeze school for her birthday, but mostly they're horrible, awful ideas.
A few of my famous lead balloons:
You may call me a cheapskate, but here are my three small rules on gifts:
Um, this isn't new, you say. Go-together goodies has been around ever since Fishes and Loaves night in Bethsaida. But here's the catch - I write a poem to string it all together. Uh-huh. Mind blown. I'm sure it's not an original idea, but I like to make it my own.
In 2011, I gave a gift bag to my sister-in-law as a thank-you for hosting my baby shower.
Every New Parent Hopes For…
I put together everything on this list and included the framed poem with a few places where they could insert pictures of them with their new nephew if they so chose. Yup, I never even took one lesson.
Today I gave my sister and her family a gift bag. They have moved into their new house in Savage, MN, and it seemed like a perfect occasion to use my go-together goodies idea! Here's what I wrote:
W elcome home, Olstad Family!
We love you!
My dad brought out a well-worn horseshoe that our friend Al got for me at an antiques store, Doug bought the champagne and cookies, Ollie "colored" a heart and I made some beer bread. I think they appreciated it. Mom, of course saw it and said, "oh, is this like.." and made me feel pretty embarrassed because I'm not the first to think of this idea, but whatever, no one else wrote the poem I did.
If I continue on this trend, making sure gifts are practical and thoughtful, and give them a little more time than just running to the store to pick up a tie for Father's Day (PS, my dad never wears ties, but has received thousands from me), I may be able to change the perception that I'm a horrid gift-giver. What do you think? You think I'm onto something? Or do you think it's going to fall apart like my aprons?
A few of my famous lead balloons:
- One Christmas, I didn't have any money and gave all members of my family their favorite candy bar. I thought it was ingenious, and while it helps to remind them that I was, like, 10, that's a favorite holiday memory.
- The year I gave everyone body soap.
- The homemade Christmas where I spent the entire month of November creating candles, aprons and dog biscuits and they all fell apart upon receipt.
- Early couple Christmas when Doug's big gift was a nose hair trimmer.
You may call me a cheapskate, but here are my three small rules on gifts:
- Unless it's a wedding, shower or I'm going halvsies, I don't spend over $30 on a gift. I make exceptions, of course, but if there's anything I've learned, it's that one will be just as happy with $30 junk as with $50 junk.
- Unless they are children, my parents, parents-in-law, or immediate family, I don't give birthday gifts. I try to remember the celebrant with a well-worded card instead. Cards are much more meaningful to me, I don't need any more stuff and this way others don't feel obligated either.
- Gifts must be either practical (they requested it), thoughtful or (of course) both.
Um, this isn't new, you say. Go-together goodies has been around ever since Fishes and Loaves night in Bethsaida. But here's the catch - I write a poem to string it all together. Uh-huh. Mind blown. I'm sure it's not an original idea, but I like to make it my own.
In 2011, I gave a gift bag to my sister-in-law as a thank-you for hosting my baby shower.
Every Aunt and Uncle Needs
Every Aunt and Uncle
Needs…
A full box of
Macaroni and Cheese,
Band-aids to heal cut
knees,
And candy and gum for
calming hurt feelings.
Every Aunt and Uncle
Has…
A coloring book and a
box of crayons,
Sprinkles and a
cookie cutter for baking plans,
And a box of wipes
for dirty hands.
Every Aunt and Uncle
Needs…
For outside fun, some
flower seeds,
A box for keeping
cool buggies,
And a movie or book
for catching some peace.
Every New Parent Hopes For…
A sister and brother
who don’t think sitting’s a chore,
Who will welcome a
slamming and swinging back door,
Who won’t think a
second about playing on the floor,
And who will love
their new nephew every day more and more.
We love you, Aunt
Heather and Uncle Ross.
We are so happy to be
sharing this special time with you!
I put together everything on this list and included the framed poem with a few places where they could insert pictures of them with their new nephew if they so chose. Yup, I never even took one lesson.
Today I gave my sister and her family a gift bag. They have moved into their new house in Savage, MN, and it seemed like a perfect occasion to use my go-together goodies idea! Here's what I wrote:
A Prayer For Your Home
I pray that…
With this wine, your home will always be cheery.
With these cookies, life will be sweet.
Once you hang this horseshoe, luck will find you.
And with this bread, you’ll have food to eat.
But none of these things will matter a few,
If you don’t use this heart’s love as your glue.
My dad brought out a well-worn horseshoe that our friend Al got for me at an antiques store, Doug bought the champagne and cookies, Ollie "colored" a heart and I made some beer bread. I think they appreciated it. Mom, of course saw it and said, "oh, is this like.." and made me feel pretty embarrassed because I'm not the first to think of this idea, but whatever, no one else wrote the poem I did.
If I continue on this trend, making sure gifts are practical and thoughtful, and give them a little more time than just running to the store to pick up a tie for Father's Day (PS, my dad never wears ties, but has received thousands from me), I may be able to change the perception that I'm a horrid gift-giver. What do you think? You think I'm onto something? Or do you think it's going to fall apart like my aprons?
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