Anonymous wrote:Just commiserating OP since I dislike the adult gift giving culture around Christmas too. Let’s say I could use a nice soft warm winter hat from Vuori in a different color than I already have. Instead of just purchasing this hat in mid November, when I want it, I think “oh , Carol already asked me twice what I wanted for Christmas, I’ll give her this idea”. So I tell her. Then she asks me questions about where she can buy this in person or if it has to be online. Then she asks me again what color I wanted. Then she asks me for a back up color in case the department store is out of my preferred color. Then, finally, on Christmas, I get my hat that I’ve been wishing I had for the last 5 weeks, and it’s the wrong color, because Carol didn’t want to pay for shipping and the store only had orange left. So now I have to return it in person with the gift receipt, which takes 2 hours out of my Saturday, and then go online and buy myself the hat I could have just bought myself 5 weeks ago except I needed to be polite and give Carol a gift idea. Bonus points if the color I had wanted is now sold out after the holidays.
This exactly! Why do adults need to give each other anything. I understand gifts for the kids but for adults?? I feel like I can just buy myself whatever I need during the year. I don’t need random friend or relatives buying me a random scarf or gloves. Most gifts are not thoughtful and feel like just a random present.