Warlord Ralts said:
Thinking about them involves: Spending money on them. Fighting holiday crowds to get them something. To box it up and drive to UPS to send it.
No, that's being a mail order deliveryman. Thinking about them means getting them what they
actually want.
It's a gift. When choosing gifts, you chose something they wouldn't buy for themselves, not something they want but are too cheap to buy.
In which case I would likely return it and get something I actually
wanted. Not what you thought I would want.
Maybe I can't afford what's on thier list? Maybe I think asking for movies and DVD's is trite and greedy. Maybe I thought you'd like a mug from Austria. Maybe I thought that 2 Pre-War Iraqi bills that I picked up from the wreckage of a building was something you'd find interesting. Maybe I thought that having a custom made fountian pen was something you'd never buy for yourself, but would look good on your desk.
No, I would not want any of those things. In point of fact, I have previously (before they bought the gift) said to the people who got me the pen that I do not now, and never will want a pen.
Yeah, look how selfish I am. I spent part of my hard earned money, I spent the time and effort to get the object, to wrap it myself, to add a card, to drive it down to UPS.
And wasted your money and effort on something I probably do not want. Now, I'm supposed to pretend I'm happy about it to make you happy. Sorry, I'm not going to do that. Maybe if I tell you I would like something from list next time, you would get me something from my list.
Yeah, $14. That's all you want, is cheap $14 CD's.
You mean like these items that were
also on the list that you didn't bother to copy?
Serenity (Widescreen Edition) $16.98
Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars[/i] $13.99
Firefly: Original Television Soundtrack $13.49
Farscape: Music from the Original Soundtrack $13.98
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings Soundtrack $13.97
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Soundtrack $14.99
To tell the truth, I don't ever expect that I will get everything on my list. Or even the most expensive thing I list. I know the price ranges of the prople in my family, and make a list that encompasses those price ranges. Some people will buy on the low end. Some on the high end. Perhaps it would make you feel better know that the pen in question cost more than anything on my list.
Yeah, those ARE expensive. A $14 CD that you DEMANDED would be the ONLY gift you got, and I'm serious, if you were one of my relatives, I'd get your card, and that's it.
That represents 2 hours of work at minimum wage. TWO HOURS. Whose the selfish one now?
None of my relatives work for minimum wage. I know this. I know the price ranges they buy gifts in. My list is constructed accordingly.
It's nice to know that the person recieving the gift should decide what they get.
If you actually cared about them, then yes, you would get them what they want.