I Give Great...Gifts. What'd You Think I Was Gonna Say?

I like to think I’m a pretty good gift giver. I’m a good listener and I’m very observant, so I find myself taking lots of mental notes when I see friends and family. I prefer giving gifts than receiving them, and getting an appreciative thanks for thoughtfulness means more to me than getting something in return. This year will be an unusual year for giving gifts. Friends are getting married, there’s a big anniversary somewhere in there, and soon my sister is going to hatch another one. I’m thinking maybe if I get these ideas out on paper, it’ll spur some other ideas I’m looking for. So excuse me while I brainstorm…

Ben and Kelly: These 2 crazy lovebirds moved to Seattle for 2 years just for the adventure. They visited home often and friends always returned their visits. They may or may not move back this year, so we gifted them airline credits for their wedding. I’m hoping they use them.

2 other weddings are on deck for this fall. First, Joey and Jenny. Friends of the family. This is a mixed race wedding (Italian and Vietnamese), so I won’t be surprised if there’s like 400 people on the guest list. I have no clue what to get them. Even if they really do have 400 guests, I want them to remember my gift. (Yeah, I’m a little vain like that.) The problem is that I don’t know them that well. I hate to just pick something from the registry but I think that’s what’s going to happen. Ideas?

Then there’s Josh and Barbie. This one is a tad tricky. The couple didn’t really register for anything that struck me as being personal. Plus, Joe’s in the wedding so I think he has other plans to go in on a gift from the other groomsmen. If this actually happens, and I also gift Barbie at the shower, I don’t feel obligated to get anything big but I don’t want to come empty handed either. Hmm…

By the way, I’m gifting Barbie some stuff to pack on the honeymoon. I figured most people will get couples gifts or gifts for the home. I figured it would be nice to get her something just for her. So I got some mood candles, perfume, and I’ll throw in some alluring lingerie in there too. Wait, did I say ‘just for her’? Maybe this is a couples gift after all.

Gram and Grandpop Metzger’s 60th anniversary: I knew beforehand from Aunt Jane that Gram insisted on no gifts. I figured that at their age, there’s nothing they need now and there’s really nothing they need for the future. So I decided to take them back to the past. I looked up popular candies from the 40’s and picked up a nostalgic card/ pamphlet that listed current events, retail prices, old ads from the year they got married. Sure enough, the gift did what I intended. Gram remembered going to the penny candy store for Mary Janes and laughed at the licorice pipes. Everyone marveled at the price of cars and rent back in 1947.

Housewarming: I went to Ellicott City to see Steve, who I haven't seen in maybe 6 years. He just bought a townhouse with his boyfriend. I don't know him that well either, but I was lucky to have been by a book sale that same day and picked up a feng shui book for supercheap and that was his gift. Anway, I've got another housewarming on deck for Aaron and Alisha, whenever they finally settle on their new house and move in. I haven't a clue what to get them either. Ideas? They're the retro 50's kitschy type, so I'm looking at maybe some wall art or something to go along with another book I picked up at the book sale (a lounge lizard type journal thingy).

Sigh. Stuff like this literally clutters my brain for days until I can think of something good to give to someone. Gift giving sometimes becomes a passion and I get upset when I can't churn out good ideas. Don't even get me started on Christmas. I'm sure that'll be a separate issue when the season comes nearer.