Gift giving can be a daunting task. It's hard to find just the right thing to delight the intended recipient. There are a lot of people who don't even try. They just buy the first thing they see that might be appropriate for the recipient, and are done. This is why Dads always end up with ties or crappy shaving kits on Father's Day. I used to be a gift-giver of this ilk, until a few shaving kits showed me the error of my ways.
Seriously, if you don't wanna put any thought into your gift-giving, just give a gift card to the intended recipient so they can buy something they like. They will still know that you put no thought into their present, but at least you won't force them to lie about how much they "loved" that swell shaving kit you gave them.
There are people out there though, who put a lot of thought into the gifts they present. They search high and low for things that their intended not only wants, but were unaware of just how much they wanted said item(s).
My Fabulous Sis and her Husband are just such people. The other day I received the item you see here: An autographed photo of actress Billie Hayes as Witchiepoo from my favorite childhood show, H.R. Pufnstuf! This is something I would never have thought of getting for myself, but I absolutely LOVE it!
I love it so much, I may violate Massachusetts' State Law and replace the black velvet portrait of the Kennedy Brothers reunited in Heaven that hangs over my mantle, with this.
Much thanks to FS and FBIL for this truly special gift. It ranks right up there with other great gifts I have received, like my Major Matt Mason Space Station, my copy of Ray Harryhausen's Film Fantasy Scrapbook, and my 12" Cyberman action figure, on my list of gifts that have thrilled/touched me the most*.
So if you have someone who you have to buy a gift for (like say, this Friday), remember, give as you would like to receive. Or, give a gift card.
* PLEASE NOTE: Pathetically, very few of these items are gifts from my childhood.
Labels: Billie Hayes, Gifts, H.R. Pufnstuf, Witchiee Poo