I wrote this sonnet for Ingrid’s Sonnet Sunday, where the theme is the festive season.
The gift-wrapped box sits primed beneath the tree,
I rattle, though it gives no clues away,
A tag attached confirms it’s meant for me,
But full reveal must wait a few more days.
‘Til then, the gift lies guarded, well-disguised,
By lights and baubles, sentries of the hour,
I dare not peek; no hints unveil my prize,
Instead rely on patience and willpower.
Yet giving cycles endlessly rotate,
A gift received demands a like retort,
And balanced scales must measure equal weight,
A pantomime which neither might abort.
“You’re just in time: we’ve two more seats to sell.
Come hop aboard the Christmas Carousel.”
I’m generally not good at receiving gifts, I have two main issues.
The first is just the whole cycle of giving/receiving. One person gives a trinket, a token, something the other person doesn’t need or possibly even want*. Then, the other person feels obliged to respond with some gift of their own.
It’s nonsense. Seems to me that the only winner is the guy who owns the gift shop. It’s designed purely to make us all part with our cash.
I guarantee, I will think absolutely the same of someone on Boxing Day as I did on Christmas Eve.
The second is where one person gives a gift, and the second person just ups it a tiny bit. Which prompts the first person to up the ante still further… and you get this infinite “creep” in value.
I can actually reconcile this one. Sort of. I’m still uncomfortable. Even now, I can get sucked into buying too generously, when by rights I should be more concerned about how I’m going to pay next month’s mortgage. You hear about people taking out loans to pay for christmas; fortunately I’m not that bad.
I reconcile it by thinking back to when I earned well. I gave little thought to value. If I wanted to give, I gave. It’s something I’m only aware of now that I’m on a limited budget and can’t compete.
So I assume that when somebody gives me a gift, they do so without thoughts of value, either. If my gift is smaller, so what? I’m not gonna get hung up.
Furthermore, there’s a lot of pleasure to be had from giving, so by receiving gracefully, I’m actually doing them a favour 🤣
I just wish that sometimes, I could be a bit more graceful.
* edible items are always welcome!
Mister Bump 
I wish I could give you a chocolate santa! They are so yummy! xo
LikeLiked by 1 person
but then I’d need to get you one back 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
No, you wouldn’t, I would just give you a gift without expecting one in return 🎅🏻😄
LikeLike
Well done on the sonnet. Loved it. When people/family ask what we want for Christmas, we say “food, please, and nothing that needs dusting.”
LikeLiked by 2 people
That sounds about right.
Shakespearean sonnets are not technically challenging.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I too get lost in and confused by the Christmas give and receive carousel. And, like Misky says, we don’t need more “stuff”. I remember at a work Kris Kringle one year I ended up with this awful Christmas Tree shaped candle. It was huge. It would have taken months to burn down, even assuming you didn’t only use it once a year. And between Christmases it would have gathered dust and looked so awful. I just couldn’t believe how much I did not ever want to be part of a work Kris Kringle ever again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
See I think you are overthinking this Christmas Carousel if someone wants to give you something then let them! They care and many people enjoy giving to others why guilt them or worse shame them ? And from an economic standpoint especially now all businesses need help so to me it’s a win win
LikeLiked by 1 person
If someone wants to give me something, I can’t stop them. But I’d rather they didn’t.
That we exist merely to support businesses, sorry but I disagree; it’s the other way around.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m just saying why overthink ( yes it’s me saying this) about gift giving
Just say thank you and leave it at that and it’s not merely to support businesses who keep
People employed. I was just adding that as another perspective
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hate Christmas. I hate gift giving. I just hate all of it. So you’re a lot better than me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m kinda looking forward just to shutting up shop for the week. Wife is away, I might post, might not, haven’t decided. Might just crawl into my cave.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a bit like that. I’ll schedule then flake out 😁
LikeLike
Giving should never be expected to be returned. If you want to give then give no matter the time of year. Each holiday
is what you make of it. If I don’t want to do something I don’t do it. If I give money to a homeless person on the
street I certainly don’t expect a return. I give as I want but it isn’t a contest nor would I ever turn it into one. Holidays
are for people to enjoy not be miserable because they spent too much money they didn’t have. It’s about people, not
gifts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I totally know what you mean! But on that note, thank you for the purchase of the recent gift you purchased from my Redbubble shop! I do hope the recipient is happy, it is a cheerful design! Cheers!🙏😊
LikeLiked by 1 person