On Thursday the photographer dropped off our DVDs at my work presented like this:
I was absolutely delighted and told her that I have to take a pic before opening it. In retrospect, I should have opened in front of her so she could hear my squeals of glee.
Look - a lovely letter from her, beautiful mint-green tissue paper and then the DVDs. Oh, I was in heaven! It made my day - presentation is SO important to me.
I was reading a thread on a forum where they were doing a Secret Santa and the weirdest thing was 95% of the people said they don't like bath goodies - foam bath, shower gels, lotions, etc.
It's strange because that's ALL you see in the shops. And I thought, "I'm sure other women like these things".
I used to be much easier to buy for but these days I like clutter-free or things I will DEFINITELY use so have become "very difficult", as D says. So much so I sometimes prefer nothing.
By the way, I actually call D "D" and the kids have started also calling him "D". Very cute but then I started saying, "he's Daddy to you" :)
Anyway, I pulled a friend's name for our work Secret Santa, someone who is seemingly easy to buy for as she is always very enthusiastic and grateful, but then again, you never really know... So I got her a framed mirror for her house.
At worst, I absolutely love it and will happily take it for me and get her a gift voucher if she doesn't like it.
One of my best gifts ever was a set of prints that have sayings on them like "you are awesome" and "you rock" and "you are more amazing than you know". My friend sent me this set for my birthday last year. She bought it straight from an etsy seller and got it sent directly to me. I loved my stuff but didn't know who to thank for MONTHS. One day she asked, "did you ever get those prints I sent you?" and the mystery was solved. LOL
For another birthday yet another friend bought me a photo frame and wrote me a beautiful card. I love love LOVE the card so I cut it out and put it in that very same frame which has sat on my desk ever since. This is the same friend who took me out for supper for my birthday so we could connect. See, she gets me!
My favourite baby gifts were 1) food from Robynne :) and 2) our friend, Will, came over and cooked a lovely vegetarial meal for us one evening - FANTASTIC!
Meaningful things mean the world to me.
So my love language is 1) acts of service and then 2) words of affirmation.
You'd think my family who are supposed to know me best would know me best but no.... so I dread Christmas gift time because I am Super Bad at pretending to love something I don't love. I don't need much and would rather they not buy than waste money buying more stuff. The things I do buy are hugely unexciting like trips to the hairdresser or massage therapist :)
I love experience gifts, consumable gifts and a really heartfelt note. (That's probably why I write in each Christmas card)
When I was more into "stuff" I hated getting things for the house. I felt like it's MY birthday, I want things for ME! :)
Okay, so back to you.
Do you know your love language? If yes, what is it?
And then what type of gifts do you LOVE LOVE LOVE, and what do you really not like?
I love to buy gifts that may seem a little random to the outsider, but ones that show I really *know* the recipient. For example, last year for Christmas I got my hubby this gadget that cuts the pit out of a mango, and a bottle of really nice herbed olive oil. It wasn't an expensive gift, but it showed how well I know him.
ReplyDeleteAs for me, I just want to know that someone *thought* about what they were buying. One of my best friends gave me a "how-to" book on children's publishing last year, as I told her about a couple of book ideas I have. I thought that was one of the coolest gifts ever...very unexpected, but it showed she was really listening to me. :)
As for "stock" gifts, I love stationery!
I love to research and find the perfect gifts! But there is always a catch, I tend to be a bit of an introvert so I only buy for those who are near and dear (a very precious few). One of my big things for any occasion is to knock things off DH's bucket list. I would very much rather receive a vacation than a sweater. I absolutely hate receiving clothes. I have horribly bland taste, my color pallet is very earthy and neutral yet people love to gift me the latest fashions, bright colors and things that itch! Bright side-my MIL likes to buy me clothes but always buys black and I love her for it. They are always amazing, soft, comfortable and fit. She is a goddess!
ReplyDeleteI also love meaningful gifts, experiences and making memories. Who ever uses bath salts?! I can't stand a bath! LOL I will admit that when I give to 'the others' who aren't so near and dear, I go with very impersonal giftcards and some sort of generic packaged gift-ala bath set.
I love that you love notes. I am the same way, but not really as gifts. I'm terrible with cards for specific holidays and events. It's the randomly appearing notes, and cards of thanks and thinking of you that I EAT UP!! I saved a letter from MIL in my memory box. It was a thank you for her surprise party coupled with I love you and thank you for coming into my life. It was typed and not handwritten because she's lost the use of her hands, but she still forced a signature at the bottom. I cried like a baby reading that!
I love gadgets!! Ipods, laptops, Ipad etc. I love getting stuff before anyone else like I got an iPig last year from hubby (bet you dont know what that is?). See, thats what I love! Yes my taste is expensive, I know. Otherwise a massage voucher or books are also favs. I hate bath stuff, I only ever shower so bubble bath etc goes to waste on me.
ReplyDeleteAs for giving, I love trying to buy a person something they have been wanting for a while or that I know would make them happy. Like I bought my sister a red coffee machine because I knew how much it would mean to her. Books are another fav to give, esp if you get something that someone is really interested in.
I also love books, but it's such a hit and miss.... and stationery...
ReplyDeleteI love giving gifts, but it stresses me out because I feel the need to find something PERFECT. Hard when I have about 40 people I buy for at christmas time!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I answered your question on my blog, but also wanted to tell you that we only do professional pictures every six months. I couldn't handle the stress (or the money!) of doing it every month!
Since I've become a lot more environmentally aware, I'm much more likely to buy people a massage or something that doesn't use up the earth's precious resources, or fill the rubbish bin. Personally, a greater gift for me would be someone taking some of the clutter out of my life, rather than adding to it! We don't even give gifts anymore in my family, we focus only on the kids.
ReplyDeleteooh, Mash, can I move to your family? :)
ReplyDelete