Now this turned out to be one LOUD gift. I think it even wakes the neighbours!

I have to admit, I don’t enjoy buying gifts for other people.  Mainly because I’m not very good at it.  To prove it, every t-shirt I bought my nephews for their birthdays a few years ago didn’t fit most of them.  Maybe I was secretly hoping they would stop growing up on me!

Hubby and I stopped exchanging gifts on Birthdays, Anniversaries, Valentine’s Day and Christmas years ago, and I am grateful.  Instead, we just take time together to enjoy a nice meal and raise a glass of wine to toast the special day.  But, once in awhile he surprises me with a bunch of flowers for no reason.  That, I like.

Don’t get me wrong; I do enjoy receiving gifts! I mean, who doesn’t? I once read about this person who refused to buy birthday or Christmas gifts for others. Instead, he gave gifts only when he saw something that his friend/family member could use and gave it to them regardless of the day.  I think surprise gifts like this can be very exciting –like my surprise bouquet of flowers.  Last week, our neighbor, whom we’ve had some contact with but nothing significant, gave Little T a small gift and a card congratulating him on starting school.  It was such a thoughtful gesture and took us completely by surprise.  Little T still talks about it. 

Sometimes material gifts are wrongly viewed as a measurement of how much someone loves you, which I think is unfortunate.  This can put a lot of pressure on the gift-giver, as they try hard to ensure the gift will meet another’s expectations either in size, cost, or number.  For me, the actual receiving of a gift is not as important. It’s just knowing the other person was thinking of me. On my birthday, receiving a phone call or personal note from someone wishing me a great day means just as much as getting a gift.  Now, if someone wants to ship me an older vintage bottle of Bordeaux and not call or write, I’ll forgive you.

I think the best gifts of all are those that don’t cost money, but instead come from someone’s heart.  Like, the gift of simply loving someone else and showing them, in your way, that they mean something to you.

This past Sunday afternoon I took some time to have a hot bath.   Little T wasn’t feeling very well, so after a game of chess he wanted to relax on the couch so up I went for a soak with my favourite Sarah Brightman CD playing in the background.   A few minutes after I climbed in, the door slowly opened and in walked Little T with a sprig of lavender he pulled from our garden – he knows it is “Mommy’s favourite flower”.  He left and returned a few minutes later with a bottle of water, “Just in case you get thirsty”.  Minutes later, he came in again with a picture of himself, which he placed on the table beside me “Just in case you miss me”.  Even though my bath wasn’t exactly 20 minutes of quiet indulgence, watching Little T express his love for me was worth it. 

His gift to me that Sunday cost nothing but was priceless.