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As an adult with a good job, there is nothing in the typical "gift price range" that I really want or need but don't have - if there were, I'd buy it myself. Yo

As an adult with a good job, there is nothing in the typical "gift price range" that I really want or need but don't have - if there were, I'd buy it myself. You have to really know me to understand what falls in the "he'd like it but wouldn't bother to get it himself" category. OTOH as I simplify my life it turns out some of my most valued items that I'm keeping around were very expensive gifts that fall in that same category because of the high price. Edit: This does suggest a strategy of pooling everyones money together to get a single gift that a person would not otherwise buy.

elliekelly 4y ago
Not to be "that [old] person" but I do feel like the internet has ruined gift-giving a bit. It used to be that if you traveled somewhere or happened upon a unique shop you could find a gift that the recipient would have otherwise never have known about or come across on their own. Now everything is commodified. Everyone can get everything from everywhere in the world whenever they want.
sshine 4y ago
> You have to really know me to understand what falls in the "he'd like it but wouldn't bother to get it himself" category. This is the crux of gift-giving: Noticing throughout a year whenever your significant other(s) wish they had something, and then they forget about it, but you don’t, and 6 months later, they get it.
- SketchySeaBeast 4y ago
  And it requires a level of being there to pull that off. With the exception of my wife, for whom I do keep a list, I don't spend enough time with even my immediate family so that come Christmas time I have no idea what to get them.
  - soco 4y ago
    Which is a sad situation, I guess - unless they don't deserve more presence (which can also happen, also sad but in different ways)
    - SketchySeaBeast 4y ago
      Just a matter of remoteness - they all live at the other end of the province from me so we don't get to connect a lot.

elliekelly 4y ago

Not to be "that [old] person" but I do feel like the internet has ruined gift-giving a bit. It used to be that if you traveled somewhere or happened upon a unique shop you could find a gift that the recipient would have otherwise never have known about or come across on their own. Now everything is commodified. Everyone can get everything from everywhere in the world whenever they want.

sshine 4y ago

> You have to really know me to understand what falls in the "he'd like it but wouldn't bother to get it himself" category. This is the crux of gift-giving: Noticing throughout a year whenever your significant other(s) wish they had something, and then they forget about it, but you don’t, and 6 months later, they get it.

SketchySeaBeast 4y ago
And it requires a level of being there to pull that off. With the exception of my wife, for whom I do keep a list, I don't spend enough time with even my immediate family so that come Christmas time I have no idea what to get them.
- soco 4y ago
  Which is a sad situation, I guess - unless they don't deserve more presence (which can also happen, also sad but in different ways)
  - SketchySeaBeast 4y ago
    Just a matter of remoteness - they all live at the other end of the province from me so we don't get to connect a lot.