Comments on: A Season of (Mis)Giving http://iamthiswoman.com/mainblog/2008/12/a-season-of-misgiving/ ... expanding my universe. Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:08:03 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Laughing Muse http://iamthiswoman.com/mainblog/2008/12/a-season-of-misgiving/comment-page-1/#comment-1393 Laughing Muse Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:12:38 +0000 http://iamthiswoman.com/mainblog/?p=155#comment-1393 For years, I've given gifts when I find something perfect for someone. I don't just wait for December (for one thing, many of my friends are the type to mention that they'd like something, then go out and buy it for themselves two months later, completely forgetting their earlier drive-by mention.) It lets me spread my buying-and-giving out to when I'm financially comfortable. A few people I know are pretty uncomfortable receiving gifts without having something to give in return RIGHT THEN - and for those folks I'll buy something, store it for a few months, and give it to them on or near their birthday or anniversary or something else. But it's been at least 15 years since I did the whole "spend like a fiend in winter" bit, and it's been pretty freeing. (I've also had a lot more fun presenting gifts to people when they weren't expecting anything, and it's something that they not only really enjoy, but haven't yet had the chance to get for themselves. :D ) I think I read somewhere the theory that that US stores really whipped the Christmas traditions into a buying-and-gifting frenzy (they didn't invent the concept, just refined the hell out of it.) I've always wondered why they didn't dream up something similar in mid-summer. It would take some of the pressure off that one holiday, it would even out their income curve, and the resulting balanced spending periods would be less likely to put people into credit crunches that lead, eventually, to Less Consumer Buying. (Which is a bad thing, as far as stores are concerned.) For years, I’ve given gifts when I find something perfect for someone. I don’t just wait for December (for one thing, many of my friends are the type to mention that they’d like something, then go out and buy it for themselves two months later, completely forgetting their earlier drive-by mention.) It lets me spread my buying-and-giving out to when I’m financially comfortable. A few people I know are pretty uncomfortable receiving gifts without having something to give in return RIGHT THEN – and for those folks I’ll buy something, store it for a few months, and give it to them on or near their birthday or anniversary or something else. But it’s been at least 15 years since I did the whole “spend like a fiend in winter” bit, and it’s been pretty freeing. (I’ve also had a lot more fun presenting gifts to people when they weren’t expecting anything, and it’s something that they not only really enjoy, but haven’t yet had the chance to get for themselves. :D )

I think I read somewhere the theory that that US stores really whipped the Christmas traditions into a buying-and-gifting frenzy (they didn’t invent the concept, just refined the hell out of it.) I’ve always wondered why they didn’t dream up something similar in mid-summer. It would take some of the pressure off that one holiday, it would even out their income curve, and the resulting balanced spending periods would be less likely to put people into credit crunches that lead, eventually, to Less Consumer Buying. (Which is a bad thing, as far as stores are concerned.)

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