Christmas Gift Guideless

It's that time of year. It's too late to tell the friends and relatives you haven't seen since Clinton was President that maybe we shouldn't exchange gifts anymore. Once Thanksgiving passes, you've missed your window of opportunity so you try again to pick gifts that might be appropriate.

The problem is that when you haven't seen people in years, you really don't know what they look like, what they like to do or that they have become vegans in their food and clothing selection. It might have been nice to know that Aunt Nancy's eyesight is failing before I sent her the New Age version of the New Testament in the pocket-sized edition. Or someone might have told me that my cousin Mary went from a size 6 to 22 before I sent her that cute mini sweater dress.

I then realized that the best gifts were the non-personal kind. Who wouldn't want a basket filled with Ghirardelli coffee and chocolates - except for my mother who has eliminated caffeine - especially chocolate - from her diet. Who wouldn't want a basket of cheese and salomi except my dad who was told that he could die if he kept eating fatty foods.

But it's not just the giving that difficult. I'm also on the receiving end of gifts that people think I might like. When I was in my 30s, my grandma sent me a Hello Kitty sweatshirt. In my 40s, my grandma sent me a Hello Kitty shoulder bag. You hate to hurt their feelings so you just put the items in your closet, waiting a couple years so you can re-gift them for your Aunt Nancy and cousin Mary. I know that the time will pass quickly and I again, unwrap - Hello Kitty.