I'm with you people who struggle with the gifts. I think gifts are fun, and I enjoy it when I don't feel the pressure of a deadline and all these expectations. And I absolutely hate the obligatory gift giving, the need to reciprocate. Let's all just agree to buy ourselves what we want instead of trying to guess what someone else would like and "trading" money. That said, I do love to give thoughtful, meaningful gifts to the people I really love, but this means lots of time and consideration, and I just don't always have the bandwidth for that! I am totally a quality time person, and gifts are at the bottom of my love language list, too! It's rough because my step-mother just wants to deliver a gift-bomb to my house, watch us open the gifts, and then leave, taking my dad with her! I can't stand it, because all I've wanted for the past twenty years is time with my dad, long stretches of time to just talk and hang out and do whatever. Instead, I get a huge mess at my house, an overstimulated son (and niece and nephew!), and frustrated hopes. Good times. I have tried over the past few years to improve as a gift-giver, but it still isn't something that comes naturally. I would much rather go out for a fun dinner with my family, laughing and talking, than exchange stuff with them.
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