Yep that's the difference with us Cody...we buy what we want or need all year round we're lucky to be in a financial position to do that unlike some people.. (and I've been there in the distant past so I know how that feels and it's not good), so in a way more than one present at Christmas is more than enough
I think that each person has their own feelings about giving and receiving gifts, or even cards, as @Babs Hunt mentionoed. Mostly, Bobby and I do not give gifts, and are perfectly happy not to receive any. Knowing whether someone truly cares about me (to me) has nothing to do with whether they send me gifts or cards. When I was little, my mom did all of the Christmas shopping, and she loved to buy Christmas presents. We didn’t have a lot of money, but she would buy presents for all of the kids in the related family, and usually something like a fruit cake or box of chocolates for the families. My dad, on the other hand, never shopped for anything that I can remember. I don’t think that he even ever bought any groceries, and I can remember when my mom would send us to the store for something, my dad would drive me there and then wait in the car while I went into the store and bought whatever it was. So, in my whole life, I never had a card or gift that was from my father. However, I loved him and I knew that he loved me, and loved me from the bottom of his heart, and I basked in that love. If I accidentally broke one of my bridle reins (horse stepped on it), my dad would take out his rivet gun and fix it for me. Anything I needed help with , he helped me, and when I needed someone to talk to, it was always my dad that I went to talk with. So, to me, gifts are not related to someone loving me, or to my loving them.
Many would have a difference in feelings than you about gifts and love. Many completely relate gifts and love together, such as Weddings, Wedding Anniversaries, Valentine’s Day and Birthdays. I’ve read Birthday Cards that ended with “Given With Love” Heck, even a bouquet of flowers, as a gift to someone in the hospital, is about love.
I agree 100% Yvonne. And I also agree that love does not need a material gift or card...love all by itself is the most wonderful gift everyone can give to each other.
My answer, as well as millions of other people.......no! (sorry, but) First, Babs, why did the three Wisemen bring gifts to Jesus in his crib? One word, love! Chrissy’s daughter gave her $500 as a gift......out of love!!
No, not related but pretty close call. It isn't that I do not like to receive gifts for certainly just about everyone likes them. To me, gift giving is all about spontaneity and the spirit in which a gift is given. I do absolutely LOVE Christmas but not so much the mandatory thing about giving and receiving gifts. If I have a few extra rocks in my pocket and I see something I think might fit as a gift, I buy it no matter the season or the event. I would much rather someone gave me a gift because it just seemed to fit at the time rather than, "It's Christmas (or my birthday) and I know he will expect something so..........". I suppose, in other words, if there is a gift to be received, I like to think it comes from the genuine thought of giving and not because it is the product of some sort of protocol.
That's some toss-up. Whilst I do love croquets, especially the ones with seafood in them, I think the dart board might be less work.................
Bobby, gifting giving/receiving at Christmas, Birthday, Wedding Anniversary or Valentine’s Day isn’t “protocol”, it’s traditional and done within love. Absolutely couldn’t imagine not giving my wife a card and gift for any of these special days. Just couldn’t. That’s love, total love!
I respect that and glad it makes you and yours happy. Still, gift giving is still expected and therefore it is protocol based on tradition. For me, I would much rather have a hug and a I love you than anything that Yvonne could possibly buy. And ya know what? I get that every day! I do not have to wait for a special occasion for her to show me how much she loves me by buying something. To tell the truth, the only present I wish to unwrap is her and that is a special occasion unto itself and believe me, there are no dates marked on the calendar for that. I celebrate Thanksgiving EVERY day, the birth of Christ EVERY day, and His resurrection EVERY day. I celebrate Yvonne's birth EVERY day and our marriage EVERY day so the bottom line is that if I decide to buy a gift in the middle of July and say Merry Christmas, it's valid. Whatever you or the other nearly 300 million people in the U.S. wish to do is appropriate for you and them. How's that for honesty?
uhhh....do we have a mixup here or are you joshing with me, not quite sure You might be thinking croquettes perhaps....I am thinking croquet, mallets that you hit balls through a hoop....either way, I can go for it
Not bad, not bad at all, but do disagree in some ways. Wife and I tell each other daily that we love each other and hug often, but Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary and Valentine’s Day gifts and cards are extremely important as well......at least for many, many people. I’m still wondering about the question I asked about the Wisemen’s expensive gifts to the Baby Jesus that were given out of love for him.
I think you can Interpret the gifts any which way you wish. The child born in Bethlehem during an astronomical event (the star) was prophesied (probably Daniel) as the birth of a King and a savior. The Magi were probably Persians who were astronomers and students of scripture and whether or not they actually visited Jesus just after his birth or a year later is still being debated by some major theologians but who cares. They visited Jesus and brought gifts. In truth, expensive gifts were a tradition to give to any proposed deity or king but whether it is out of love or simply the thing to do is up to each individual to determine. Now Cody, here's the MAIN thing. You can do or propose any method of showing your affection any which way you want to. If I so chose to, I could go full blown Biblical on you and that would be the absolute end of it for me. But............you have your thing and I have mine and I am NOT going to attempt to convince you or anyone else that I am right because what I do is as absolutely personal to me as it is to you. If you want to have the Thunderbirds do a flyover and give your lady the Hope diamond, that is what you do but it is not how I operate. So, agreeing with me or disagreeing doesn't phase me one iota but in the spirit of Christmas I wish and do PRAY that everyone here has a wonderful celebration of the birth of Christ Jesus and I do honestly believe that PRAYER trumps any material gift I can give.
LOL...we gave up darts years ago, never keen on croquet ..but I do love to play Petanque...you can have a great time in your garden playing that with just you and o/h or with a bunch of ya... have you ever fancied that?