Nov 17, 2005 03:00 PM
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(Updated Nov 17, 2005 03:00 PM)
Everyone will put up a big smile on their cute little faces, at the thought of receiving gifts. We have read on Mouthshut, so many reviews on the list of things our dear friends would like to receive as gifts… But my review is going to be different… Very different… Its not going to be on just five gifts.
I am writing this review on 17 Nov. It’s my birthday tomorrow. I know I will get quite a few presents tomorrow. But I am not writing this review to share my happiness. I am writing this review in hope of finding a tiny silver lining to the very big cloud that has been drowning me.
Its 1:00 pm, and it’s a very hot day down here in Trivandrum. I know my friends are in the city, searching for a present for me. We have exams next week, and they are out there, wasting their precious time. I don’t understand what they are trying to do… And I know I won’t be happy, when they give me that present tomorrow knowing that they went through such a lot of problems to get me a present.
I don’t want any presents knowing that my friends are going through a lot of troubles, getting it for me.
Why do we give gifts? My neighbour wrote a review on Fashion, today, and in that she has pointed out that the word fashion is being understood in the wrong sense today. I think it has become “fashionable” to give very expensive gifts on special occasions…
Why am I sad? My friends are going through all this pain to make me happy. But still, I am sad. Did they make a mistake?
1.
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They couldn’t keep the surprise. In midst of a conversation(Nov 11, If I remember correctly), they let me know that they knew my birthday was due next week. So I knew they were going to go shopping for gifts or something like that. They could have done better if they were to surprise me on the day…
2
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This is probably one of the biggest mistakes most people make in giving gifts. My friends asked me what I wanted for my birthday, through my best friend. She told me I could ask anything. I told her I didn’t want anything other than their friendships. She said I couldn’t ask like that. So I asked her to take care of her health(She falls sick every week). And she didn’t want that answer either.
I never wanted nor expected any material things from them.
3
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Nov 17. My friends are very desperate by now. They didn’t get any chance of going to buy a gift, without telling me so. We were always together.
Today, after tuitions, they asked me to drop them by the bus stop. I offered to take them wherever they want. I went with them to the city in my car. I was driving while the rest of them were having serious discussions, and then they offered me two choices… either to leave them in the city or to choose my own gift.
I couldn’t possibly choose a gift for myself, and that though really freaked me out. So I had no choice then to leave them in the city and go back home.
I don’t know if I am to be happy or sad. Happy in having such nice friends who get into this much trouble for me. Sad in that if I didn’t have a birthday(If I weren’t alive), they could have sit at home and studied…
I think giving and receiving gifts are to be very personal occasions, and not just done cause every other person is doing the same. Like I said before, “fashion”. It’s got to have more to do with individual preferences and likings. I would have been very happy and contended with a phone call wishing me a happy birthday. But, for another person who likes to receive gifts, you better have a big wallet.
And what is of more importance is that gifts don’t have any value other than the price assigned to it, unless it is able to share the care and feelings of the person who gives it to the person who receives it. Even a surprise wish is a gift, a mere pen is a gift, if it is somehow able to show your care and make him happy. But even a very expensive gift given with an angry or indifferent attitude wont have any value for the receiver.
I hope I haven’t written too many blunders here. Please forgive any mistakes. I didn’t want to write a review, just wanted to share with someone, some things that were blinding me.
