Gift Giving

I used to be superstitious with gifts. I was told that one should always tear up (and destroy) the gift wrapper so that in the succeeding yuletide season, more gifts would come in. This was torment for me because I took pride in skillfully taking out objects from their meticulously-sealed packages. Despite following the superstition, I found myself receiving less and less each year. Not that it's a bad thing, but it wasn't a good thing (for the less fortunate) either. I found myself giving less and less each year as well. Blame the economy. Blame China or the euro.

Like everyone says, "it's the thought that counts." If this is the case, then the trend of thought means counting less. But rather than the thought, maybe people should say, "it's the person that counts." Then, by this we could easily count the number of friends who've greeted us a merry christmas, who took the time out to send us a text message, a phone call, an email, a peck, a kiss, a hug, other forms of physical or emotional intimacy at the very least. If we're luckier, nay, more significant, then maybe we'd get a little trinket, a great gift, cash, or a hearty meal aside from animated conversations. Our love for our friends should not only be counted in the material sense, but in everything else besides. And it should not only be during Christmas that we remember each other -- it should be a year-long affair. It's the need to remember and be remembered during the season that leads people to getting affective disorders and/or depression. Fcuk it I say. We should be emancipated from this contrivance of expectations.

Note: That being said, I apologize to all for not having come up with presents during our annual group Christmas party today. My sense of time has not yet been re-established and I don't know if I'm running on daylight saving mode or in the midst of a 24-hour evening like in Sweden. I can't believe it's the 24th right now and already I'm feeling as if it all went by so fast. Tomorrow people will be working again. *sigh* Nonetheless, it was fantastic spending the eve before the eve of the nativity with you all. At least on my part, more than just a gift, I (or we) gave you (the remaining 4 in Pomodoro) something "memorable" for the holidays. The best part of it was that we weren't tipsy and it wasn't done out of mercy. It was quite a public display perhaps, but it would be a gift you guys would never EVER forget. Tee hee