Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
’Tis the season of mistletoe, ’tis the season of good cheer, ’tis the season of ‘No! Don’t put that decoration there or the cat will knock it over.’ Yet most of all, ’tis the season of giving and receiving gifts … which is the really the most important thing to anyone under the age of 15.
I enjoy gifts as much as the next person (as long as it’s not socks). However, I am sure we all face the predicament that I am about to introduce.
When someone gives you a gift, to quote the ever so wise Sheldon Cooper: ‘I know you think you are being generous, but the foundation of gift giving is reciprocity. You haven’t given me a gift. You’ve given me an obligation. The essence of the custom is that I now have to go out and purchase for you a gift of commensurate value and representing the same perceived level of friendship as that represented by the gift you’ve given me’.
Although Dr Cooper is a tad eccentric, he has a point. Christmas raises so many questions in one’s mind.
Will this person get me a gift? Have we reached the point where we get each other gifts? Will it be a real gift or a joke gift or money or a gift card?
Is their gift for me going to be marginally better than my gift for them? Are they going to do the honourable thing and wrap the gift or just give it to me in a bag?
Are they one of those weirdoes who lie and say they prefer giving gifts than receiving them? Even if they say that, you’re not off the hook; if you have a conscience … you’ll get them a gift.
