Gifts from the attic

Christmas. Gift exchange. Today, i remembered that there was a reason why i had opted out of this annual family activity, Chirstmas gift exchange, for the last couple years. One, i hate having to buy gifts. Two, i hate having to recieve gifts which i would put away in a corner to rot for eternity.

It turns out that the gift lottery had me giving to the cousin who was also going to give me a gift. I bought a wallet from The Wallet Shop, which was a real pinch in my no income savings. If i were to equate costs, i could say that i didn’t watch Wicked so i could buy the gift for my cousin. But of course, we don’t equate costs this way. Anyway, i got back a DvD which i would never in my life think to watch, but she bought it because she wanted to watch it herself. I could lend her my DvD -_-

Together with the DvD was an electric shaver. Another cousin said that electric shavers are better because.. it uses electricity. Maybe i should make sure i get her as my gift victim next year and give her an electric toothbrush.

There’s something about electric shavers that bug me. I’m not quite able to pin point what it is. But i’m pretty sure people shouldn’t give toiletry essentials as gifts. I sure as hell wouldn’t give friends body deordorant or mouth wash.

Or electric shavers and electric toothbrushes. Unless they told me they wanted one.

But i guess being family members, gift choices are lesser in variety. We can’t give lingerie and toys like dildos, vibrators etc. I remember getting red boxer shorts for my birthday back when i was in Gippy. And i thought it was a pair of normal shorts. Oh the embarassment..

What was wrong with giving traditional guy gifts? Like ties? I could use a tie. Or long sleeve shirts. I need long sleeve shirts for job interviews. I have zero long sleeve shirts right now if anyone thought to ask. All my shirts are broken. I don’t understand how, but they have holes where they are not supposed to be. I could have a book, i like reading. I could use a bicycle, mine was stolen, remember? I wouldn’t mind a diary for me to write in. I don’t mind vouchers, my running shoes is broken. Yes, holes. My life is plagued with holes that miraculously dot my stuff. I could use food. I always like food. Except sweets. Don’t get me non-chewable sweets.

I wished people gave me gifts according to my list. I really really wanted that Wicked CD.

I did check on what the cousin-in-laws and cousin-in-laws-to-be gave. The littler cousin got a water bottle and a shoe bag. It is funny. Coz she stopped playing badminton and stopped swimming. To be fair, i won’t know what to get for the littler cousin too. Maybe i would have gotten her the same wallet i gave today. Maybe, coz of relativity to her pocket money, she might be in a better position to appreciate it. [Edit: I should add for my reference the other c-in-law guy got Threadless t-shirt for a cousin.]

Got a gift from Yvonne too. Really she shouldn’t have. I was fine with just have dinner with the groupie. It was a card game of sorts. Some sort of old maid, heart attack combination. Not quite sure. Not the kind of game i would play. My kind of games is usually less physical. Well, it’s the thought that counts. Remind me to get her gifts next time.

Oh well, dissapointment would always be abound in random gifts. Not much i can do about it.

There is also a reason why i opted in to the gift exchange this year. It’s because of family bonding. This gift exchange thing is a family activity and to merely participate in it is an effort at family bonding. Family bonding is the reason for alot of the things i do during family gatherings. As in, i peform the actvity and recognize it as a family bonding activity. Like playing board games, or simply sitting beside the rebellious little cousin and youtube-surf with her.

Maybe it’s due to how i always look at things with an ice cold eye for costs and benefits analysis. But whatever the case, i do know that family bonding is more than just turning up for gatherings. It involves effort.

And that i have to take time off my computer and play with my nephew. It may be be simply repeatatively singing silly breakfast songs that i invent. It may be just running to the door and back to the mattress. Whatever it is, it’s about relationship building.