'Tis Better to Give

You can tell much about a person by the way they release the wrappings on a gift.  The initial approach, the indisputable triumph of liberation and the achievement of the act all play together to reveal little known facts about the recipient.  Truth be told, there just may be a right and a wrong way to open a present.

As we mature, the finesse, velocity and the level of “need to know” concerning the contents of the festooned delivery is tainted by the restraints we feel society has put on our anticipation.  One’s social order, from the simple act of disengaging highly colorful wrappings from an undeterminable item, is something that has been scrutinized, examined and philosophized from the first time Adam brought Eve a small present to show his affection and appreciation of love swathed in a banana leaf.

Deeply rooted in our psyche of childhood gift receiving experiences, there are many phases of, shall we say, the “unwrap”.  The main categories that people fall into are those who want instant gratification and those who will build themselves into a frenzy trying to guess the goods before stripping away the wrap. There are some individuals (not to name any names) that do both, very dramatically, much to the chagrin of us who are awaiting an approval rating.

Some people are shakers.  They are under the impression that if the item is turned in numerous ups and downs the insides of the package will be able to be conjectured by the sound of the shifting of contents.  Some people are smellers.  I have known those who think their nose can be used to sniffer out what is hidden inside – I don’t know if this works for sure, I have never tried it (seems a bit odd).  Some people are squeezers.  Be wary of these types, the tight grasping tactile approach to researching a gift wrapped delight is, in actuality, hiding a deep-seeded, unfulfilled desire of these folks.

After the requisite external evaluations of the to a present have been made, the real unveiling may then take place.  There are the dainty types that will gently dislodge the tape and disrobe the package without disturbing the paper by nary a wrinkle.  They want to “save” the ribbon and paper, although I never really knew why.  There are the rip-it-off and go for the gold category that finds great pleasure in the frenzy of shredding the $20/roll specialty wrapping paper to pieces to set free what is lurking beneath.  And, of course, there is the type that cannot help themselves and will start off refined and quickly digress into tearing into the wrap.

The facial response of the receiver is the final category of analysis when gift giving.  Wide eyes, arched eyebrows, pursed lips and an unequivocal smile followed by “OOH” or “AH” is an involuntary, uncontained sign that you “done did good” in the gift giving department this year.  Don’t be put off if a child quickly casts off one present to go onto another.  Realize they are merely still in training and it is not a sign of discontent.

It is better to give than to receive.  Call it a present to yourself you don’t ever want to take back when you get an enormous warm fuzzy from the joy of seeing the person delight in the gift (and the wrapping) that you took the time, effort and love to choose specifically for them (even if it is the wrong size or color, it was delivered on time in the spirit of the occasion).

Cynthia A. McClelland, curious observer of the obvious with interpretations of the oddities of daily life.  Mother, wife and lover of the furry, resides in the north Lake Tahoe area.

Cynthia A. McClelland © 2003-