With Christmas coming up (and most importantly for me, my birthday next week) I know we are all thinking about what lovely gifts we might be receiving from our loved ones. Ok..... maybe that is just me and the rest of you are better at giving than receiving. Whatever the case, there are often things that we would really like or really need to get for Christmas or birthdays but there is the dilemma of whether to tell people exactly what you want or should you just drop some hints.
Telling someone exactly what you want means you get exactly what you want, however the person feels like they have not put any thought into your present and you feel like you didn't get a surprise. On the other hand if you drop some hints, you may get what you want and it kind of feels like a surprise but there is a very real danger that your hints will go unnoticed and you could be disappointed.
This is the situation which occurred in our household a couple of years ago. I had previously told my hubby that I really wanted to see Wicked the musical and that it would be a great present *hint, hint*. However the problem was I hinted in March and my birthday is in November. By the time my Birthday was drawing nearer when hubby asked what I might like for my Birthday I said "You should remember..I told you already". I think I wanted him to feel like he was thinking about it and planning it and that it would be a lovely surprise. When the morning of my Birthday arrived I was presented with a smallish box. "Maybe the tickets are inside?" I thought to myself. However as I unwrapped the present there was a digital camera. I couldn't hide my disappointment "Wasn't this what we were buying for each other for Christmas" I asked, which of course told my husband that he had failed in knowing my hints. So now we were both disappointed and I looked unbelievably ungrateful for such a lovely gift.
Now I am really showing you my shallowness! I hope you don't stop reading my blog after this post...:) In hind sight the camera is a fantastic gift. It has been a wonderful and longer lasting present as it almost daily provides a record of our growing family. This story is now just a silly joke between my husband and I about the uselessness of me dropping hints to him (and my lack of hint dropping skill). These days if I want something....I just ask. I still do like a surprise and we will often buy each other a small "surprise" present where we can show that we have put thought and love into choosing it.
So that is why I don't drop hints anymore. If I really want or need something I just tell people. It is so much easier. Of course, the best things to ask for would be unselfish things such as Compassion's Gifts of Compassion where someone can buy you a gift that someone else benefits from in needy countries.
