The challenge of gifting

Don't you love it when someone you care about opens a gift you've painstakingly found for them and they smile broadly, look at you in the eye and say, "How did you know?!"

That moment to me, is priceless.

Still.  I hate shopping.

Always have.

Go ahead, take away my "girl card," but it's the truth. 

Racing through malls and shopping centers, in a desperate panic to find THE gift for the birthday, anniversary, shower -- you name it -- has always caused me to break out in hives.

There are few reasons for this:

1. I pick up other people's energy.  They say it's because I'm an intuitive and I guess that's true.  So you can imagine heading to a place full of people who are desperate to find something to fill whatever need they have is, at the least, stressful.  (yes.  I also know how to "protect" myself from all this energy and how to "decontaminate" when I get home.   The thing is - I forget.)
2. I need to be clear and focused on the recipient.  Sadly, I'm often in a last-minute panic at times like Christmas when there's an onslaught of people to gift with the perfect present.  I put a crapload of pressure on myself to do it just right.  I want the recipient to know how much I really do care about them and I have been known to spin out of control and then threaten to buy everyone the "fruit of the month club".
3. So many commercial trinkets and things are simply pricetags to me.  My friends and family are not just a number.  Yet I get all wigged out if the widget I found for my sister is less expensive than the doohickey I found for Dad.  It seems wrong that I do this, but still, I do.
4. I need to be in the mood to get this whole gift thing going.  I have a classic Earth Shaped heart line.  That means I may not be so good at using the perfect words to tell you how I feel, or to express joy, celebration or even heart felt condolences -- but I'm great at creating something with my own little hands that can express it all for you.

What about you?  Is gift giving fraught with angst or is it (like it is for Michael) a time of great happiness?

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FINISHED!

The Kindle Cover!

Overall, I'm pleased with the way it turned out.  Still I'm calling it a prototype - there are some things I'll change in the next go round.

What do you think?