I attach a lot of sentimental value to gifts.
I love the idea behind gifts, and the thoughts that I know goes into gifting. I like that a person stopped to say, “This looks like something Tessa would like. Let me get it for her,” and in the same vein, it warms my heart to watch a person’s face light up with my own thoughtful gift. I want them to know that I had their smile in mind when I got the gift.
So, when it comes to gifting others, I put into consideration things that they may like to have for a long time. Things that suit their interest, and they’d probably find useful long-term. I don’t go about gifting every body, so the ones I gift are people I know and care about. Who I’ve heard express some need or the other, so that would aid me in getting something they’d like, would make them smile and would serve them judiciously.
For my friend who had told me in passing how he’d like to get new clippers, cause his old one was faulty, and how he’d hate to use the barber’s own, I got him clippers in his favourite brand, and even though it’s been a couple of years, he still tells me how well it serves him, and how he keeps bragging about it. Hearing stuff like that makes me really happy.
And another friend of mine who’s into books, I knew that being at a book festival would make her happy, and so I did just that. She practically adores books, and I heard of a favourite author of hers who was coming into the city, so I paid for tickets for her to not just be at the book festival, but also meet the author she admires so much one on one. It’s been months since that happened but she still calls me to thank me for making her entire year (in her words).
When it comes to gifting people or loved ones, especially as a minimalist, the aim is to be thoughtful, intentional, and that too, with discretion, so you don’t end up cluttering the person’s space. You want the gifts to be able to stay with them in their hearts more than you would want it to be all up in their space, if you get what I mean.
I love gifts as well, and have gotten very thoughtful ones in my little lifetime. I still wear the earrings my friend got me for my birthday three years ago. She sent me an excited voice note recently when she saw a picture of me wearing them. According to her, she expected that I would have already gotten rid of them, but I told her that they were one of the best gifts I’d ever gotten, and I had no plans of getting rid of them if I could help it.
If I’m being honest, there’s always the risk of clutter, especially with my friends who know I love books, and would want to get books for me at the slightest opportunity, so I let them know the kind of books I’d love to have, and the gifts I want, so I’d treasure them enough not to consider them as clutter at any time.
Gifting to me, more than anything, requires a lot of heart if you’re going to be genuine, but careful attention should be paid when gifting and also as it involves to receiving. It should be lovely and functional enough not to ever be regarded as clutter. For a long time, at the very least.
I’m not too keen on gifts but I’d love if everyone thought of it as something to bring smiles as others, or not gift at all.
Images are mine.
