It’s safe to say that I’m rather particular about gifts.  As it gets closer to my birthday and Christmas, I always provide lists for people so that they can be clued in to the types of things that I like.  I feel that it’s fair, because my interests and needs change over time; and I feel that if you’re going to buy me a gift, I may as well help you get something that will be a definite winner.

My mother thinks that it is incredibly rude for me to provide a list for people, and that I should just be grateful and accepting of whatever the giver wanted to me to have.  I think that is true, to a certain extent (it’s not that I’m ungrateful); however, sometimes just accepting whatever people want you to have puts you in this position of having to feign gratefulness and gratitude.  “Oh, this was JUST what I wanted”- as you hope that your comment is believable to the giver and you pray that God doesn’t strike you down for lying.

Anyhow, I digress.  As you may know, as you get older, Christmas looks a lot different.  Gifts are less in number and more practical.  I’m slowly adjusting to that reality (and I should probably be better about it, considering I’m now 27 years old), and by doing so, receiving gifts that are indeed extremely practical has become alright.  Yet and still, there’s always one gift each year that is the winner, by which I am EXTREMELY delighted and overjoyed.  And here’s what that gift was this year:

Yes!  A Starbucks gift card!  I love Starbucks, but part of the reason that I don’t go frequently is that it’s so difficult for me to justify anywhere from $3-6 for a drink and a piece of cake.  Thus, I usually save it as a Friday morning treat.

However, while this gift is extremely practical and helps me to enjoy life a little more on Friday mornings, this gift was special to me because it came from my baby sister (who’s really not a baby anymore).  She’s got her first job slangin cheeseburgers and fries at McDonald’s and just decided that she was ready to go back to school (after taking a little time off after graduating from high school).  She’s doing such a wonderful job being responsible, and she is blossoming into an even more beautiful young woman.  I’m proud of her.

The fact that my baby sister thought enough of me to spend her hard earned money almost moved me to tears.  I know that for some people that’s not a big deal.  And that’s fine.  But it’s a big deal for me.  I never expect my younger siblings to get me a gift because I know they aren’t in that position.  However she extended herself, and I am super appreciative.

So,yeah.  In case you were wondering, it is indeed true that the best gifts come in small packages.

Until next time…