On Wednesday, my good friend Pimpmaster Doug threw a party for me. Sure it was a week late, but nobody, and I mean nobody, is in town during the week of fourth of July. I failed to realize this truth in my younger years and was disappointed by the turnout in many a birthday (specifically, my 10th when only two people came and one forgot a present).
It was a good time as approximately a dozen people crowded into the bus at Mellow Mushroom. Sure there were easily four conversations going on at once and it was impossible to get a refill, but it's the reaffirmation of the fact that I am beloved by the masses that counts. Arguably, this blog is all about he reaffirmation of the fact that I am beloved by the masses. But I digress.
Anyways, once you graduate high school, the standardized gift giving unit becomes gift cards. We all know that if you try to make an educated guess without a list of demands from a person, you will, at best, get the wrong, incompatible version of the product (e.g. Caddy Shack in Blu-Ray instead of DVD). At worst, you will get a similar, yet cruel bastardization of the product (e.g. Caddy Shack 2). So the safest route is to get the person a gift card and express in clear terms exactly how much you appreciate them and trust them to find something they like, when they like.
Gift cards are always good, but especially when holidays and birthdays roll around. If you are lucky, you will be able to compile a very nice collection of cards and be able to go to a store and buy everything you could want guilt-free. However, my friends did not collaborate that much.
WARNING: I really do appreciate the thought and effort that went into acquiring a gift card and I thank everyone who did give me a gift card very much. I do not begrudge you for failing to collaborate, I blame the spirit of rugged individualism this country inspires.
I now possess a $10 Hastings gift card, a $20 Target Gift Card, a $20 Xbox Marketplace gift card a $25 GameStop gift card, and a $60 Best Buy card (that one was a collaborative effort).
It is an impressive collection, but what I need now is some sort of universal gift card shop.
"You're thinking of money, Hunter" some of my sharper readers will say.
To which I respond, money is a HORRIBLE GIFT. Unless it is a check from your grandparents or distant relatives, but family is immune to these rules. It doesn't show any thought or premeditation to the gift. Plus, there is no guarantee that it will be used in a fun manner. Last year, a friend of mine tried to get me the Xbox Marketplace card so I could get the game Shivering Isles but couldn't figure out where to get it. He figured that $20 would be just as good. Little did he know that within the week, I had used that money for fuel, not fun. Gift cards ensure that the person needs to buy themselves a gift with that money.
On the bright side, I will clearly be able to credit who exactly I got my paid-by-with-gift-card stuff from.
P.S. Those of you who forgot to give me a gift card can redeem yourself by coming up with a gift card exchange shop. I'd go there.
3 comments:
Try having your birthday on Thanksgiving weekend!
No problem. Thanksgiving changes its date every year, so while some years you get the screws, other years you can be normal. The Fourth of July is unchanging and relentless.
i like my facebook book better than a gift card. took some thought!
Post a Comment