A Little Resolution Fib

Alright. So I realize I told a little fib about not making New Year's Resolutions. This is because I had totally forgotten about the tiny little resolution I muttered to myself as I was racing through the mall 48 hours before Christmas. It was actually a two-part resolution:

1. Don't ever go on an extended family vacation 2 weeks before Christmas (and without having at least started the Christmas shopping beforehand).

2. Shop online next year and finish by November 12. (I'm not sure why I chose November 12 as I don't even know what day of the week that is, but I was in the throes of frustration and stress.)

I hate to shop. Yes, I said that. I hate to shop. I'm a female, and I hate to shop. I also have little interest in shoes. And I would never opt to spend hours at the salon because if I had hours available to be BY MYSELF, there are at least 126 things I'd rather do than spend that time with a stranger running her fingers through my hair. As a result of my shopping condition, I am not a good gift-giver. Truth be told, the only reason I give presents is because that's what you're supposed to do. I say this at the risk of offending any readers to whom I have given gifts, but I'm just not a thoughtful gift giver; I mainly just want to get it over with.

Take the gift for my better half, for example. He wanted a gadget, one of the GPS thingys. I had a "discussion" with my brother-in-law who was trying to convince me how useful this thing is:

"It helps him find his way around."

"But he knows his way around Atlanta."

"It will help him find his way around when he's traveling."

"When he's traveling, the car with the GPS thingy will be sitting in the airport, and he'll be driving around in a rental...that has its own GPS thingy."

"But it helps him find his way around."

"Isn't that what MapQuest is for?"

"Yeah, but you can't always access MapQuest."

"You can if you have internet access from your phone...which my husband does."

I gave up. I went to the electronics store to get it. Of course I hadn't considered there would be 1012 choices of GPS thingys. And considering the price of some of them, I thought about asking the electronics store guy if they washed the car...and maybe cleaned the house as well. I refrained. I had no idea which one to choose for my gadget-loving husband, so I did something really lame. I called home to ask him which one he wanted. He already knew what he was getting anyway. I suppose I could have just chosen one and then returned it if it wasn't the right one, but that would have meant another trip to the electronics store...which was the last thing I wanted. So that was that. I did end up wrapping it, though I don't know why since it was no surprise.

He on the other hand is a thoughtful, creative gift-giver. I was given a poem of clues to find my gifts hidden throughout the house, all things I wanted but still surprises to me. I do so enjoy being on the receiving end of his gifts! But do I resolve to be a better gift-giver next Christmas? Well, not in so many words, but perhaps if I stick to that resolution I whispered under my breath in that moment of insanity, I will have more time to put more thought into my virtual shopping. At least until November 13 when it will hopefully be done.