Monday, May 08, 2006

Gift

Receiving gifts is always pleasure and that too the suspense in unwrapping the gifts thrills me even at this age. As kids we have been taught that whatever be the gift should be accepted wholeheartedly and thanked profusely. And so, when my niece got married couple of months back, we were gifted salwar kameezes .Since, we couldn’t go then, it was received by me yesterday. Till yesterday I was getting ready for the wonderful dress that I would get, but when I unwrapped…….the colour combination was not to my liking and would not suit my complexion.
Then came the awakening. She gifted me because she had to and not because she wanted to. I used to be sentimental and not wanting to hurt others, would keep all the gifts and even occasionally wear them. My husband’s complaint about the gifted blouse pieces being stacked in my cupboard always fell on deaf ears as I was not going to dispose them off lest I hurt them.

Now, I have taken a resolution to return the gifts to the donors on the next occasion at my place. So, those gifts neatly tagged along with their names wait for an occasion at my place………..

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

well written but would like to say that not all people behave like that ..some are genuine enough and do it out of love...poor thing..what can he do if he his tastes dont match ours....! But that dosent mean stop respecting their gifts ..!

chitra said...

Aarthi,
I truly understand your sentiments and i am no mean hurting others. Now, actually the thpought that my friends/relatives might stop gifting me after reading this blog frightens me. I actually meant to convey that gifts should be given only if you feel like and not because one has to. It would save a lot of bother.....

Shruthi said...

"gifted blouse pieces"!!! :))))
I can relate to it so well!! It is the custom to give a blouse piece, along with coconut and betel leaves, and I had such a huge stack of blouse pieces in my cupboard too, and it was taking up so much space :O.. So I gave them all to my mom-in-law, so that she can give it to people who come home. :)
I have an old post on the subject of giving gifts - http://nychthemeron.blogspot.com/2006/01/gifting-love.html

Enigma said...

woww good idea :)
my mom used to get colorful slips stiched for me :)
my aunt made designer pillow covers ,quilts,sometimes even handbag/curtains:)(with good color combinations)

chitra said...

Enigma : it is a good dea, but alas none from my family members have any inclination towards crafts!
Shruti : I shall read it later. But let me take this oppty to clarify to all my friends and relatives that let gifting be not a custom or status quo.

chitra said...

Shruthi,

So very true. I just read ur article. I would spend hours to buy a gift. If i dont get something appropriate, i would rather not give. The budget, yes would be kept in mind for I am not the very rich kind. but it is flexible.

Here, just because it was the tradition, she would have gone to the shopkeeper, and told him to pack the suit pieces worth this cost. She feels it is compulsion! i dont blame her. the sociey tells her for after all we are the sister in laws!