During my first ever potluck/secret santa party, my parents walked in to 7/$27.50 Victoria Secret underwear hanging on the chandelier above the dining room table. While we may have calmed down a bit since then, each year, I look forward to what my friends and I will get up to after consuming too many empanadas and homemade cheesecake.
The act of gift giving is one aspect of the holidays that often gets criticized. While I do not agree with Black Friday or spending the holidays at the mall instead of with your friends and family, I think that giving gifts is an important part of friendships and relationships. Giving gifts is a way to extend your love for a person and to take the time out of your day looking around for things that you know they would love.
I've found that as I get older, giving gifts is becoming more exciting than receiving them. Now that I am able to drive, I have the ability to go to different stores, restaurants, and cities to find gifts that fit my secret santa or friends and family members perfectly. I'm not sure why gift giving gets more exciting with age. It might be because most of us become more selfless as the years go on and we see all of the heartache in the world. Being able to give someone a gift that makes them smile, something that they love and will use and enjoy using often, becomes more important than getting everything on your list.
I look forward to my secret santa/potluck party each year for this very reason. I love being able to see all of my friends get together to enjoy homemade food, open heartfelt gifts, and have fun being in each others company. Despite everyone's problems or busy schedules, it is a night to relax and enjoy the holidays and what they truly stand for; showing love to your friends and family, and to be kind to strangers who aren't as fortunate as you may be.
So, this holiday season, instead of scolding those who enjoy giving and getting gifts, go out and find gifts for your friends and family that make you happy to buy and excited to give. Pick things that they have trouble buying for themselves or things that they would never think to pick u on a regular shopping trip. Get a gift card to a restaurant so that you can spend time together, a cooking class to learn some new skills, or pick up a sweater or scarf in a color that compliments their hair or eye color. It makes the holidays exciting and helps promote love and closeness. If you're able to, buy a few gifts or supplies and donate them to a local charity. Getting a small gift has the ability to turn someone's day, and holiday season, around.
