|
|
|
From November
2007
By Susan Reda,
Executive Editor
|
It’s that time of the year again . . . time
to hit the stores in search of the perfect
gifts for all the significant people in my
life. Oh, the joy . . . Did I say joy?
Clearly, I’ve yet to begin shopping. Give me
a week or two and I guarantee I won’t be
humming, “fa-la-la-la-la.”
It’s not really the shopping that’s the
problem: I could shop 24/7. It’s choosing
just the right gift that stresses me out. I
try, really I do, but with mixed results.
|
|
I’ll never forget the year my daughter asked for
an endless list of Beanie Babies. I picked up a few, and
then bought her a Muffy VanderBear. For the unenlightened,
Muffy is the bear equivalent of Barbie and she has a
wardrobe that rivals Paris Hilton’s. Muffy was a winner; I
was sure of it. I imagined my daughter would love it: I
could almost hear her prattling on about how Santa always
knows just the right thing to put under the tree.
Luckily, I didn’t bet the ranch. I spent the next five years
dusting Muffy.
There was the foosball table I bought my husband that came
in a hundred pieces, took hours to assemble and attracted
every kid in the neighborhood. So much for the good
intentions; I should have bought him a sweater. Today, the
foosball table gets more use as a laundry table.
Then there was the time I bought my sister’s boyfriend a
classic button-down oxford from L.L. Bean . . . only to
learn, minutes after he opened the box, that he worshipped
at the altar of Hugo Boss and made bi-monthly pilgrimages to
Barneys New York.
So to heck with New Year’s resolutions: I’m going to get a
head start and make holiday shopping resolutions instead.
1. Buy exactly what they ask for. Don’t try to upgrade.
Don’t pick the newly-introduced color. Don’t substitute with
what you consider to be a reasonable facsimile. Just buy the
darn thing and be done with it.
2. Repeat after me: Gift cards are good. Buy them in bulk
and spread them far and wide. And, for goodness sake, don’t
worry that it looks like nothing in the box. It’s what they
wanted; they can buy what they like. It’s all good.
3. Perfume, accessories and earrings were specifically
invented with the impossible-to-fit in mind. Resist the urge
to try to buy apparel for relatives who can’t seem to decide
if they’re small, medium or large.
4. Angels will not rain chaos down upon you for buying the
Xbox version of Grand Theft Auto or multiple black T-shirts
with skulls and crossbones; they were moms once, too
(re-read resolution No. 1).
5. Reward yourself. Shopping for others can be a thankless
job. Take frequent breaks and buy a little something to keep
yourself motivated. |
| |
