December 13 – “On Christmas shopping”

So what is there about Christmas shopping that makes it different from, say, birthday party shopping, or anniversary celebration shopping, or grocery shopping?  Or how about car shopping or house hunting (isn't that just, in the grand scheme of things, another form of shopping?) or shopping in general?    I've been shopping with Chris many times over our years together.  She always makes out an elaborate list with everyone's name on it.  Then she fills in the gifts as we find them.  But finding them is not always an easy task.  Many times she has "something" in mind, but apparently she can't exactly tell me what that is.  She'll give me a vague idea, and I'll start pulling out options to see if it would match up with her vision for that person.  Needless to say, that can take a long time.  It's kind of fun for me, though.  Not so much for her.  She can get frustrated with my "choices" for some reason.  It's better when she can get a spouse or someone to give her a "Santa's List" for the person.  Then it's just a matter of checking off the list.  Unless, of course, there are clothes involved.  That means colors and sizes – variables that are necessary but hard to remember (for me).     I say why not this:  throughout the year, as you see something that would be a cool gift that you would like yourself, buy it right then and take it home.  Then, when it comes time for a birthday or Christmas or any other gift-appropriate occasion, lay them all out on the bed or a table, and match them up with the most recent recipient.     Or here's another variation on that same theme.  It's basically my own style of shopping that has certainly worked well for me over the years.  I just get a specific person in mind.  Then I try to immerse myself in that person: what do I know about them?  What things have I seen them doing for fun?  What issues have proven important to them?  What have they talked about lately?  With all that in mind, I can then go into a store – any store - even a dollar store – and find something that reminds me of that person – a particular quirk, or a memorable event that connects us or something they said that seemed random at the time, but that can be used to come back to haunt them at gift-giving time.  Sure makes it fun for me to see if they make the same connection when they open the gift that I made when I got it.  Of course, Chris is not so much into that style of giving.   So a few years ago I started giving special "Dad Gifts" to my sons and daughters-in-law and to Mom and Chris as well.  That way Chris doesn't have to take the blame.   Proverbs 18:16 says, "A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great."   Father, help the people who receive gifts from us this Christmas feel like "great ones."  Amen.