Well, not that I am complaining, the fact that there is a bonus to spend and dear ones to spend it on is in itself a blessing. However, the process of picking so many special gifts for so many special people without spending so much is like solving a further maths inspired word problem in two minutes without a scientific calculator. How does one buy the perfectly special yet affordable gift?
This nagging question reminds me of an
experience I had few Fridays back on the trip home from work. There was this
Hausa man standing in the traffic, not bothering to talk or market his wares,
just confidently holding the freshest vegetables I had seen in a while. The
leaves were big and luscious, the stems so green and healthy, my mind already
conjured up like ten different ways I could cook them up. There was no going
back, the moment I saw those veggies, I was bought.
I bought the vegetables. They were so fresh that I thought mama nature must have handpicked them just for me. My face must have reflected my mind because the friend I was with had to comment. He went like ‘Those your veggies are fresh sha, see how happy you are. What if I brought these vegetables home to you and told you how its freshness just reminded me of you, and I knew they were the perfect gift to show you how fresh I think you are’. Immediately, I was cured of my vegetable love. I looked at him and went like; ‘For real? Vegetables? That’s your idea of a perfect gift? Ok, so where’s the pepper and the meat to cook it with. Abi, what is your plan if not to feed my royal freshness with some more freshness?’
But jokes apart, what if your husband
came home with vegetables on Christmas eve, or something even more basic.
Imagine he presented it to you with such beautiful words, a sincere look of
deep respect on his face and an air of admiration around him. What do you think
you might do? Do those words elevate the gift? Exactly what makes a gift a gift
anyway? Maybe the packaging and mode of delivery? Or perhaps the degree of need or surprise
element? What makes a gift a gift?
I am an old fashioned kind of girl. I store up letters and treasure flowers. I decorate with cards and a sweet SMS can be gift enough. It’s amazing when a gift just meets a need, especially if I previously mentioned the need in passing+, and even more precious when I wasn’t expecting it. But, I also love big expensive gifts too, the type that show me you think of me highly enough to break the bank for me. So, what shall we then say makes the gift for me? Hmmmmm. Putting it all together, I’ll say it’s the thought behind it. Like this awesome gift I got from this amazing wonder of God for my last birthday. Two days of continuous work and many more days of thoughts and plans went into it, and it was just perfect. I was surprised to my toes and pleased to my bone marrow.
Your gift is only as important as you express the thought that inspired it. You could express it with your wallet or with how long it took to find it. You could express it with its usability or timeliness. It could even be expressed in the words and ambiance amidst which you deliver it. Whatever way you choose, just ensure you communicate exactly what you think of me with every gift you give. Since we assume your thoughts of me are good and not evil, if those thoughts are demonstrated, then your gift is accepted. After all, we know God loves us because He gave us His most treasured possession- Jesus.
So, perhaps sharing the limited funds across
the many people this season wouldn’t be such a headache, since the price tag
does not necessarily define the gift. Or, better still, let’s talk about it; what
makes a gift a gift to you? What’s the best gift you ever got? What is that
gift you can never forget? What should anybody never give you no matter how
nice they present it? What makes the gift?!
Email: bunmilofemusings@outlook.com
@lofemide
Bunmi Aramide
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