Gift giving and gift receiving are a couple of my favorite activities. I really love gift giving during the holidays, especially if I purchased something that I know the recipient will totally love - because I really like seeing the reaction on their faces when they see it. In fact, sometimes I'm so excited by my own gift that I can't wait to give it to that person!
I've been told that I'm a great gift giver - I'd like to think it's because I put a lot of thought into the person that will be on the receiving end of my gift. I don't want them to just get another gift for their birthday or Christmas...I want them to get this awesome present that Jen got for them! The reason for my need to 'stand out' (if you will) from all other gifts stems from a childhood birthday party in which my parents (read: Mom) weren't prepared. They sent me to the party (sleepover, no less) without a proper gift. So minutes before I was supposed to leave, I had to scramble to pull something together and so I put together some socks and those freebie bath lotions/shampoos you get from hotels. This was the best I could do on a sixth grade budget....no car, no money. When thinking back to it, I can still feel my face getting hot when the girl opened my gift - I was so embarrassed. I would've hated to be the recipient of that gift and I hated even more that I was the giver. So ever since then, I have gone out of my way to find 'the perfect gift' for each person I'm purchasing for.
This brings me to the latest dilemma in my world of dilemmas - I am to attend an ethnic bridal shower this weekend for a co-worker that I don't really know. I think she invited me out of some sense of obligation. Another one of my female co-workers was also invited so maybe I was invited to keep that person company because she's closer to the bride than I am. As a working group, we already took a collection to purchase her a gift card as a wedding gift. But then I got this invite for the bridal shower and now feel somewhat obligated to buy her something else as a shower gift. My co-worker didn't think it was necessary but I think it is necessary...there is a distinction - the money I put into the collection was for the wedding and it's from the group as a whole. This other gift is for the bride only and would be from me, personally.
But what do you get for a bride that you've known for less than a year and have very limited interaction with throughout that year? One of my other co-workers (a male) suggested a dildo. Yeah right - first of all, it's not a bachelorette party and I don't know if I really feel comfortable handing her a box and saying, 'This would be better opened in the privacy of your own room.' So that's a pass. I also don't feel like lingerie would be an appropriate gift as this is an ethnic party and her older female relatives will be present - I can only imagine the *gasps* that would come if I brought something lacy or crotchless (yikes!) from Victoria's Secret for her to open in front of her relatives. I wouldn't mind something lacy from Vic's - I got a few for my bachelorette party and they were very tasteful...so what's the harm? I think it's the familiarity factor - I don't know her that well. I do know that the 'safe zone' would be a frame - something nice that she can stick a wedding photo in and remember her special, pre-arranged day.
I have settled on the fact that I will probably be purchasing something for her new home - which is not really much of a new home as her fiance is doing rotations in Queens and is living with his own family. Can you imagine...moving out of your own family's house to your husband's family's house - chock full of relatives on both ends?! I cannot even relate - nor could I ever (or would want to) imagine. What is something good that will let her forget that she's leaving the comforts of her own family and moving to a brand new state/city with a brand new family that she has barely known for a year? Maybe a dildo isn't such a bad idea after all.....
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