Tis Better To Give Than to Receive… Or is it?

Christmas Time 2013
For Record
Part II
Over the years, gift exchange between Ross and I has transitioned and developed into a finely tuned tried and true tradition.
This year, about a month before the twenty-fifth, Jen told me about this website called “Ebates”.
Basically, the premise is that if you purchase an item from one of their many participating online shops, you receive a cash rebate.
So for instance, I ordered a few things from JC Penny and received a 6% rebate.  You can receive the rebate in a check, which is sent to you quarterly.  Or, what I chose to do is have it deposited into my Paypal account.
I was skeptical but it works.  And as far as I can tell there are no strings attached.
Anyway back to tradition.
When my packages arrived from Penny’s, Ross seemed a little upset.
He watched me open the boxes.  As I pulled out pajamas, a couple of sweaters, a few pairs of warm wooly socks and three pair of jeans, he seemed to be disappointed.
When I asked what was wrong, he said, “But we go shopping together. We do it every year.  It’s our Christmas tradition.”
“Oh.”
Hmm, I thought back over the years and recalled that is what we would do.  Ross likes to shop.  He likes to shop with me.  So sometime in December, we would pick a day and the two of us would go on a spree.    I just didn’t realize it had become a holiday “tradition.”
He explained that now his dilemma was that he didn’t know what to get for me.


That’s when I sent him this list:

The Swift by Tom Bihn - The knitting bag designed by knitters for knitters



A GoPro Camera






A set of Caruso Steam Rollers

Needless to say I got everything on my list along with a soft cuddly robe and another pair of comfy pi’s.

Oh yes, and there was this little blue box under the tree.  There should always be a little surprise. 

Tiffany & Company Paloma Picasso Sterling Silver XO  Love and Kisses Pin

And we still went on our shopping spree.  

The saying that it is better to give than to receive is true, most of the time.

I was getting my hair done a few days ago, before Christmas.  As I waited my turn, I couldn’t help but overhear a young twenty-something guy boast about the gifts he was going to give his girl.  

The conversation went something like this:

Hairdresser:  “So did you finish shopping for your girlfriend?”

Guy:  “Oh yeah.  I got her a bunch of stuff.  You know little things, but a lot of stuff.”

Hairdresser:  “Oh, what did you get?”

Guy:  “Well, lets see…Uh, oh yeah, WaWa was having a sale on K-cups.  So I got her a box of those. Punkin Spice.  They were fifty percent off.  Uh…a back pack for when she goes to the gym to put her gym clothes in. It was on sale in Walmart.   The gym was having a sale on protein bars, so I got her a box of those.  I figure we can share those.  Oh yeah and a wool hat.”   I got some stuff for the apartment.

Hairdresser: “Oh, are you living together?”

Guy:  “Yeah she moved into  my place in September.  I think it may have been a little too soon.  We had only been dating for a few months.  And well, you know…I had to make some space for her, clean out a couple of drawers, rearrange some stuff.  Yeah, it may have been a little too soon. "

As I listened to this conversation, I had an image of this poor girl and the pure look of disappointment on her face as she opened up her box of K-cups and protein bars.  

I have a feeling that there will not be a little blue box under the tree for her. 

PS. For the record:

Ross kind of took to the GoPro.  It’s a toy, a gadget.  

I took the hint when he said he would like to try the new Kindle Paper White.

Since he is trying to get fit, I also got him the FitBit.