OK, so the person I'm talking about, hereafter known as "The Relative", isn't really the Grinch. In fact Christmas is a great time for me and my family. It's a time to get together and reminisce, stuff our self with goodies without guilt and most importantly celebrate the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ. Christmas is foremost a religious holiday for us.
But before that is the shopping, which I am just now finishing up. (Yes, I'm one of those people.) I love shopping for presents, plotting and planing the perfect gift. The one that will make the receivers eyes light up with joy. For me the phrase "It's better to give then to receive" Isn't just a platitude, it's a way of life. I LOVE giving gifts, helping out someone in need...except when it involves The Relative.
Don't get me wrong I love The Relative with all my heart, it's just that she has a pathological aversion to accepting help, including gifts, from anyone. One time when my sister and I were in town shopping, we decided to get lunch at Long John Silvers and treat The Relative as well. We got our food, went to her house and spent the whole meal being told how we shouldn't have, and she'd pay us back, and don't forget to remind her.
If she didn't pick it out, there is something wrong with it. If you don't do it the way she does, you don't know how to do it. If it's new finagled...new finagled being anything that was invented after she was the age of two..she wants nothing to do with it. Over all doing anything, or giving anything, to The Relative is a nerve racking experience.
This year I decided to get her a syrup dispenser. This one to be exact. She's been using one for all my 35 years and before as a sugar dispenser. The lid to hers has a crack and will fall off without notice, so I thought this would be good. It has half a chance of being liked at any rate. With anyone else it would be a sure hit, but with her I don't know. She needs a new one, but will she use it? She has, after all been using the other since the last ice age.
I will be praying that the relative likes the syrup dispenser! I think it's great! :) Monica
ReplyDeleteI do not think you could have found a better gift. If the relative doesn't like it. Then I would venture to say you will not ever be able to find something they like.
ReplyDeleteI have 3 relatives that are exactly like that. I sure wish I understood why some people can not receive gifts graciously. Even things, they have said they wanted...one time even to donate to a charity they liked, then afterward they said they really wished we would have given them "such and such". No way to please them.