Giving a present.

When is a gift appropriate? This is something I've been thinking about today. I really love giving presents. Any excuse will do. Mostly I love giving baked goods, but cards and flowers are excellent too. If I could afford it I would love to always take a present with me when I visit friends. In the ideal world these gifts would be neatly packaged boxes of macaroons, and big bunches of lilies. Presents like these seem to just brighten life a little bit. They are treats we wouldn't usually buy for ourselves, so they are super special when someone gets them for us. I think little details like this make life really wonderful. 

My biggest problem is knowing when its appropriate to give a gift. Do you send something for a friends anniversary? Would your local coffee shop owner think your a weirdo if you gave him a cup cake you baked? Do "just because I love you" presents, seem......odd? 

When we are in relationships its so acceptable to do these sort of things for our partners. A boy I dated a couple of years back would never let a week pass without buying me at least one bunch of flowers, and I would constantly surprise him buy packing a home backed lunch, or buying him some new clothes. It became so normal to us, that one time he was down on cash and couldn't afford to buy me flowers that week, he bought me four bunches the next week to make up for it. I never expected this kind of treatment, but it was so lovely to be treated so well all the time.

What I've been wondering is.....why don't we treat our friends this way? There are so many times I go to take someone a gift, but stop myself, as it seems a little too out of the ordinary. This week on my way to a friends house I was tempted to buy a bunch of flowers. I really really wanted to, but stopped myself, as this boy is one of the least sentimental people I know. I was concerned he would think I was strange (girls get flowers all the time, why shouldn't boys.)

One of my dearest friends always turns up at my house with a bottle of wine when I invite her for cake. Its just such a lovely gesture, and always warms my heart. It also usually seems to happen on the week I'm feeling just a little bit poor, and cut wine out of the budget........ its such a lifesaver. 

I suppose a gift is a sign of caring, and today everything in the world around us encourages us not to care.......so very much. Feelings and heart to hearts can be a little too real, for most industries and lifestyles when your trying to succeed and maintain the appearance of composure.  Some days I feel like all of society is screaming "get a thicker skin Cherry" as I try to jump from relationship to relationship, sticky situation to next sticky situation, and come out unscathed. 

The problem is though.......I care. I care deeply and wholeheartedly about all my friends and family. So I don't care what the rest of the world says, from now on I'll be showering them with as many gifts as I feel like. I'm pretty sure they with be stoked to hear this too.