My mother-in-law has a terrible habit. She tells us what she wants for gifts in the form of e-mails with Web links to things she wants.While that is getting out of line, my wife and I have found letting people know about our Amazon.com wish lists is a good thing. I know that if I buy her something from that list, she will not be disappointed. But letting someone know about your wish list should be as aggressive as you get.
One year, she bought a pair of $700 earrings and told her fiance that he bought them for her birthday. He actually had to reimburse her.No, he didn't. He could have kicked her to the curb, and he should have. Does he want a lifetime of that?
I have a problem with someone telling me what she wants when I haven't asked. I also don't like being told how much to spend.It is important to have a variety on the wish lists that includes low-cost items.
My husband is used to it. He doesn't know how to say no to her.Lucky you.
My wife gets a little bent out of shape when someone ignores her wish list. My attitude is that any gift to me is welcome, whether it is off of my list or not. Nor do I even expect a gift at all. Why? Gifts are supposed to be voluntary. That is what makes them gifts. I value home-made gifts from my wife most of all.
What I can't understand is, if my wife spends money on a present for me, what she's doing is spending OUR money, so in effect I'm paying for my own present. As I'm the one who works for the money, this is doubly ridiculous. Some gift! Personally, I believe the desire for a gift of any sort is GREED, pure and simple, and frankly the Church should be rebuking people for it, not encouraging it.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad my salvation is a REAL gift. Jesus paid for it freely without any expectation of anything in return (I cannot give him anything in return for it anyway). Maybe He should be our model for gift giving (what a rebellious thought!).
By the way, Ken, you sound far too sensible to be a Christian. Keep up the good work!
Peter,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the compliments. I'm just offering my take... and I'm a deeply flawed person, trying to stick with the truth.
Good points about gifts. Yes, that is why I prefer gifts my wife makes herself... because I am the income earner, I could very well buy my own store gift. But when she takes raw materials and puts her time and love into making something... well, that's special.
I should note that there are times when she has insisted that instead of spending money on a gift for her, she asks that I put the money towards something practical for our household. I still try to find a way of giving HER a gift, though.