THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
It’s that time of year again. The neighborhoods are filled with colored lights and plastic blow-up Santa’s. The bell ringers and red kettles are set up in front of the stores.
My favorite radio station is playing carols twenty-four-seven. Traffic has seemed to increase tenfold.
Although I know it is the advent of the Lord, I soon forget in my panic, with the arrival of relatives you only see once a year. I hear from the various traditional movies played on TV, “Peace on Earth and Goodwill to Man.” Only, in the bible it is worded different, it is, “Peace on Earth to Men of Goodwill.” So, I try to get into the spirit of the holiday. I set up a box for donations to the food bank and challenge my classes to fill it with items the shelters can use. I promise a party to the class with the most donations. The main item donated is of course macaroni and cheese. This is defiantly considered one of my teenagers main food groups, although I wonder how tired the needy get of this particular mainstay. My husband was volunteered to deliver presents from our church to the needy, so starts our preparation for Christmas.
We had a rough year financially, because of some medical bills, so we make a pac to only buy gifts for the immediate family, “ Yeah right!”
All have heard tales of the passed around fruitcake. I have not had this experience, but definately close. In years past I have always received, generously, gifts from my Taekwondo students. Usually years have themes. I have nicknamed them according to the themes. There was the Lotion Year, there was the Potpourri Year (That year I received five potpourri kits) there was the Year of the Candle, and Year of the Picture Frames, but my favorite was fattening, it was the Year of the Cookies!
What has this to do with my financial promise you might ask? Well, it goes like this, I read recently in the manners column of the newspaper a question that was posed, “ Dear Miss Manners,” it said, “When is it appropriate to re-gift? I quickly closed the paper and made up my answer on the spot, now was the perfect, acceptable time, when I’m completely broke and very desperate. My Child comes up with a few of the obligations at gifting such as, her teachers, her barn pals, the horse (He’s easy, a carrot will do.) My husband comes up with a few more; our church party, the in-laws, the best friends. The TV even tries to remind me of more obligations; the postman, the paperboy, the bank tellers, what?
The Dollar store becomes my best friend now. As each new forgotten subject comes up, my search for a cheap thoughtful gift becomes more difficult, and the drawer filled with past-received, non-necessary items, gets more tempting. An old friend calls up and says she is dropping by. I run to the drawer and pick out a coffee mug given to me a few years past. I quickly wrap it up and place a bow on top quite pleased with myself that I did not totally panic. She arrives a few hours later, we chat and catch up on old times.
She hands me a gift and I beam as I return the favor. Oh, she exclaims, “that was not necessary.” We unwrap our presents and my friend starts to laugh hysterically, tears even running down her cheeks. “What?” I ask.
She answers choking down her mirth, “ I bought you this cup two years ago.”
I now drop my head in shame, my face turning scarlet. Seeing my distress she reassures me, “ No, don’t be embarrassed. I’m laughing because I re-gifted too!”
I now join in the laughter. My friends then say, “Well, I’m going over to Sue's later maybe the cup will do.” I offer the scarf on my lap and she sheepishly replies, “ That was from Sue last year.”
We hug and agree the most important gift is our friendship, and we don’t mind that it is a re-gift!
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