Well, it's now December 3rd and I haven't made a damn thing. I'm trapped in the holiday rush. I'm also not one of  those people that knows exactly what to get for others. No running catalog in my head of perfect gift ideas. What to do?

Thursday's NY Times ran The Gimme Guide, a clever article on the perils of gift-giving by Penelope Green, and in it quoted the findings of a recent study which revealed that gift recipients were more appreciative of gifts if (a) they got exactly what they had requested or (b) the gift were cash or (c), and not far behind, a gift card. Interesting! When did "giving" get so mixed up with "receiving"?? This finding seems to only take into account the desire of the recipient who has stated a specific want and has an already established expectation of receiving a gift in some form. The entitled bum! Of course, if you can pick your own gift you'll be very satisfied with it. But is that what Christmas is about?

What about the giver? What about their role in all of this? In my mind, the idea of giving starts in the heart and mind of the giver. If it starts with the expectations of the receiver then we have a different thing entirely. Christmas is all about giving (remember the three kings?) and in order to find the right gift, you must spend some time considering the intended recipient, their likes and dislikes, their areas of lack and abundance. Go out and look around, support your local shops in the process, mix and mingle with your fellow givers and enjoy the time spent thinking of someone else and what they might enjoy, find useful and ultimately cherish. Happy holidays!