Sunday, December 29, 2013

A Christmas Gift

I've never been much of a Christmas person. There are a lot of reasons for this. But one of the big ones is that I really struggle with the gift-giving aspect. I'm a terrible gift giver. I have a really difficult time communicating my feelings for another person through objects. It's not my "love language." And I don't think I sufficiently appreciate gifts that are given to me, either. To me, gifts are typically as valuable as they are useful. And because Christmas revolves so much around gift-giving, I have a difficult time connecting with the holiday. And instead, I tend to feel anxious for it to end.

If Christmas was all about writing love letters to one another, it would be totally different. And every year I think that if instead of finding an item to gift, I could just write or tell a person how I feel through words, it would probably be my favorite holiday.

But have you ever tried to just give words of affirmation instead of wrapped items? And then everyone is like, thanks. BUT WHAT ABOUT STUFF?


It's rare that a gift will affect me in any way. And because of that, I have low expectations for such things. And that's how Christmas started this year.

I sat around with my family, exchanging nicely wrapped packages, and enjoying hearing the squeals come from my adorable nieces and nephews. I watched sincere thank yous pass across the room. And I felt grateful to get to spend this Christmas with my family, having so missed being with them one year ago.

The gift exchange had mostly concluded when Krishelle handed me a large package. I asked her who this was from. "Daniel," she said. And then she nodded at me to open it.

I was surprised. I had no idea he had sent me something. It wasn't uncharacteristic of him. Daniel is thoughtful in a way I wish I could be too. But having not seen him for several months and in some ways having lost touch with him--at least compared to how it was earlier this year--seeing a present from Daniel who lives in another state was really unexpected.

I opened it. And as I did, I realized immediately what it was.


Daniel had painted it with water colors. A view of our favorite spot in Palau. Looking across the quiet still water at the sunset happening just beyond the reach of a tiny island with one tall palm tree.

I stared into it. And I felt emotion well up inside of me. This gift. This wonderful wonderful gift communicated a thousand things at me at once. That sunset. That wonderful wonderful sunset communicated a thousand things at me at once at the close of this interesting year.

There was a note taped to the back. "I know my painting skills leave much to be desired," it said. "But I'm hoping this captures the essence of what you felt/saw all those months. . . . That beach, and its sweeping views, contain my fondest memories of that great year. . . . Truly, for me, that is a magical place."

I felt tears come to my eyes as images of my experiences from Palau ran through my mind.

Daniel, you did good with this one. You are much of the reason why that is a magical place for me. Thank you for those fond memories, for the care and compassion, and for giving me so many reasons to laugh for so long. I miss you.

Your painting was already hanging on my office wall the very next day.

~It Just Gets Stranger

27 comments:

  1. Daniel!!! I miss him too. Not many people get to have a Daniel in their lives. I'm glad you do.

    P.S. Daniel just set the bar, Kurt!

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    1. Gah! Daniel...love him so! Ok, Mr. Kurt. Whatcha got?

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  2. This made me tear up. That was wonderful.

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  3. I understand the whole gifting anxiety and every year I look at the people frantically running around buying stuff for people that expect a gift but neither want nor need what they're gifted with and I think "what a waste"... how many hungry children could be fed with all the money spent on throws and candles and scented hand creams...

    that whole paragraph is totally not what this post started out to be - years ago I started a birthday gifting by sending handwritten notes to the birthday boy/girl telling them exactly what's special about them and why I feel honored to be their friend/mother/sister,... etc. it makes me feel rich for some reason and many times I've been told it's the best birthday gift they got -

    There was a show on tv about a minister's family and I remember the rules for gift giving... either something they made, a service they could provide, or gifting something they already had that would be appreciated by the other person. if no effort was put into the gift, it wasn't worth much evidently. Daniel did good - just saying...

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  4. In recent history, my husband and I (being newly-reunited) went from giving LOTS of stuff to giving a LITTLE stuff to just hitting the 99-cent store to fill each other's stocking to ... this year: NOTHING. We agreed that anything we ever "need" or "want" we can just agree to get when it's on sale, and we're trying to build our coffers while downsizing our lives, so that we can move back to where our hearts beat best. It has taken me MANY years to convince my loved ones that any gifts exchanged need to be given with only the purest of intentions: THIS (thing) brought you to mind, and I could afford it, and I WANTED to get it for you. Without that, please share the not-things that are more important: visits and phone calls and other communications of love. Just because "I" got "YOU" this (thing) does not mean that you are obligated in any way to reciprocate. "Thank You" is sufficient.

    Daniel did it right.

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    1. You've figured it out! That is the point of a gift. Getting someone something to show that you love them. Good for you!

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  5. The painting is beautiful. Didn't you feel your heart melt a little just like the Grinch's did? Not that you're the Grinch, but as the world around us becomes more and more materialistic, it's hard not to get jaded during Christmas time. Daniel's gift to you is so perfect, the perfect example of a great gift as well as capturing your memories. Just when we thought Daniel couldn't get any better, he just goes ahead and proves us wrong.

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  6. This year for Christmas instead of buying gifts for my friends, I did indeed write letters with words of affirmation. I'm a college student so money isn't much at hand but I understand the importance of telling someone how much they mean to me. Like you mentioned, gift-giving isn't one of my love languages either. So when I read this, I was glad that other people feel this way too.

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  7. Idea for the future: this year I bought clear glass ornaments from Hobby Lobby where the top comes off and you can put things in them. Then I wrote people notes on glittery paper about what they meant to me, or a special memory from that year, and I put it in the ornament. That way it is a thing that can be wrapped and they can put on their tree, but really it's about the sentiments expressed in the writing. Not the fanciest gift but I think my friends appreciated them!

    Also, the painting from Daniel made me tear up. You may not be the same as you were a few months ago, but you will clearly be friends forever.

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  8. I thought of this the second I read the words "love languages" in your post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Pr42yeJGzc

    Also, Daniel, you are the man.

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  9. This is reason 57,000 why Daniel is an awesome friend. You are lucky to have him in your life. :)

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  10. Awwww, you're gonna make me cry at work. I know, I know, stop reading blogs at work, but still! Beautiful painting and beautiful sentiment.

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  11. This just made me so emotional! How beautiful!

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  12. Thank you for summing up, exactly, how I feel about Christmas! This painting from Daniel is what gift giving is supposed to be about. Your friendship is the treasure and the painting is a symbol of it.

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  13. I actually stopped with traditional gift-giving a long time ago. My closest friends get handwritten letters instead. They never seem to mind.

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  14. I actually dislike Christmas too, it's not really my thing. I stopped asking for gifts in high school because I feel like a meaningful gift should be a surprise, but something the receiver finds very useful. For example, someone should just know from having spent time with me that I could use some winter running clothes, and I shouldn't have to tell my parents/family "I want some winter running clothes for Christmas." I do like giving gifts to a few people, and I think I'm pretty good at it because I pick up on cues throughout the year, and know what exactly to get them without them having to ask, or asking them what they want. I'd rather go on a trip for Christmas though, which is what I'm going to do from now on.

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  15. Gift giving/getting is my love language. I used to beat myself up and tell myself that I was shallow for needing an object to prove something. It took me awhile to realize that its not the actual object that makes me feel loved, but the thought behind the object. If they really know me (love me) they'll know exactly what to get me even if it is small or handmade. The simplest dandelion picked my my kids warms my heart.
    My friend and I started a tradition. Instead of buying each other a gift at Christmas, we get a picture of what we would like to get each other. No dollar limit. One year she took a picture of a special wood carved Nativity scene. This is still my favorite gift. Ever. And I don't actually have it. I guess I had mentioned one time in passing that I wanted something like this. Her remembering showed she really listens to me and really cares. That's what I love about gift giving.
    Looks like Daniel figured out the meaning behind gift giving as well.

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  16. Well cool. I cried over this post. Thanks a lot, Eli! You are so lucky to have such a good friend. I would have reacted the same way that you did. :)

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  17. :) Awesome gift!

    I, too, hate the materialistic crap that Christmas seems to bring out in people. To me, Christmas is about getting gifts to show others how much I care about them. I spent about 10 years ignoring what I referred to as the "greed lists" from my in-laws. I'm sorry, but buying my mother-in-law expensive wrinkle cream is not my idea of a Christmas gift.

    A few years ago, they finally figured out that we weren't getting them anything on their lists and stopped sending them. I don't know if they truly appreciate all the time and care we take in selecting gifts for them, but I guess it's their loss if they don't. My sister-in-law will not think of me and my husband every time she takes out her vacuum packaging supplies, but I think she'll appreciate what we've given her when she puts on the locket with the picture of her mom (now deceased) and her daughter.

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  18. Okay, I just teared up!

    And a thought for next year, I've stopped giving tangible gifts, I try to give people experiences. Like tickets to Disney on Ice for the family or zoo/aquarium tickets. I hate that we all just keep accumulating stuff, but creating memories together lasts a life time, and you don't have to find a place to put it in your house!

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  19. Eli, MAKE Christmas about writing love letters to people. Use pretty paper. Get a fancy pen that writes really well, and make hand written notes. If everyone cries about not getting any presents instead of crying because your words were beautiful, then try a different approach the next year. :)

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  20. THIS is what Christmas is all about. Awesome...just awesome.

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