Surprise vs Anticipation

As I’m thinking about the gifts I need to buy this year, it occurs to me that sometimes I opt to walk the “surprise” path and other times I hop on the “anticipation” train.

 

When I know well the person I’m buying a gift for, I feel comfortable choosing gifts that will be a surprise when they’re opened. This is when I spend time and energy thinking about possible gifts that will make this person happy. I look for items that will bring a genuine, ear-to-ear smile to their face. Or I research experiences that will make their feet do a happy dance when they unwrap the gift certificate.

 

At the other end of my list, I have a few people who I don’t know as well or maybe I only know just enough to be dangerous … for example, I know that someone on my list likes to read but I’m not sure if they like mysteries or science fiction … or maybe it’s historical romance. I also don’t know if they have a kindle or a subscription to audible? In this case, I’d rather ask the recipient their preference and wrap up something I know they will love. In this case, the “gift” is the anticipation of using their self-selected gift.

 

Either way, it seems we’re back to the thought. Successful gift-giving takes heart and thought.