The Thought That Counts

You've heard the old adage "It's the thought that counts!"  Is it really?  Really?

Today, I brought some experimental S'mores Bars to work that looked amazing on a food blog someone had in their Google chat status.  It's one coworkers last day, and I thought it would be cool to bring in delicious cookies.  (They look like food porn on that link, right?)

Well, my oven apparently cooks hot and they got a little over-cooked.  They're not awful, but they're not amazing.  (I also didn't double the recipe and had to wing the top crust, but that's totally on me.)  As I was deciding between bringing them or just stuffing them in my face by myself in a dark corner of my kitchen later tonight, I caught myself thinking "well, it's the thought that counts."  Then, I called bull$h*t!  (A few more weeks of lent before we return to my unedited language).

It's NOT the thought that counts.  That saying was clearly made by people who purchase $h*tty presents and need to feel better about themselves.  The seed for this thought was planted last night while I was purchasing the S'mores Bars ingredients at a grocery store.  Someone reached in front of me to grab one of these:

(not the old lady, a gift card)

If you have come to the point of gift buying and you have no ideas, do not grab one of these "I thought of you while I was buying diapers at the grocery store" gift cards.  These are the sleaziest merchandise to have taken over our stores.  Multiply that by 10 if you are buying somebody digital credits for Farmville or anything like that.  At least give cash or a check for spending without having to do it where you decided on a thoughtless whim.  (Plus that lets me know exactly how much you spent, so I don't have to price my presents online after I open them.)

Here's a hint, ASK people what they want.  For as long as I can remember, my aunt has always bought me the best Xmas presents, even though we rarely see each other.  How?  She asks me, specifically, what I want.  I know, it takes some of the surprise out of it, but the surprise of getting a crappy present isn't a good surprise.  If you are really close to someone (like how I can read Annie's mind), then feel free to surprise them.  Unless you live with her, you don't know every one of your mom's interests this year.  Maybe she's really thinking about that iPad-thingy, and you had no idea.

Anyway, in terms of spontaneous gifts (like cookies for a coworkers last day), I decided to bring them.  I'll admit that they're over-cooked.  However, I will not say 'it's the thought...'.  Don't want 'em?  Screw you, I'll eat 'em!  I guess I should just give more gifts that I'd be happy to keep...

Step up your game, gift-givers,
~RoB