Thought-provoking AND lazy? Sign me up. Anything that keeps me on the couch but still thinking aggressively is a GO!

A trip to Italy isn't a present? Life is pretty rough, ain't it? I bailed.

A trip to Italy isn't a present? Life is pretty rough, ain't it? I bailed.

This is something I was thinking about recently, actually. I've got a friend who does not understand the concept of why couples do things together. Like, he does not understand why MuddDude and I go kayaking in double kayaks: "Single kayaks are so much faster and more fun." Similarly, he doesn't understand the point of buying each other Christmas presents: "Can't you just buy what you each want with your money? Why buy it for each other?"

It's hard to explain two things to him:
1) As a couple, we like to know that the other person knows us, and knows what the other person likes.
2) As a couple, we usually spend money on stuff we do together - movies, dinner, video games we'll both enjoy, etc. At Christmas and birthdays, we can buy each other stuff that the buyer won't necessarily enjoy.

Yeah, it is a bit spoiled, bmarkey.

I enjoyed it more for the couple-negotiation tone.

An ex of mine called those gifts --- the ones you get so you can use them yourself, like the Tom Petty boxset --- "self-serving Santa presents."

Miko, here's a chance to thank you: some time ago, you recommended Watching Baseball Smarter. It's one of the Christmas gifts I'm giving to my baseball-nerd partner, and I think he's going to love it.

My wife buys her own presents and I wrapped them. I bought a guitar for £1200. It's not like she new which guitar to get me.

Meh. Christmas is more about the kids.

oh, good, Elsa! My brother loved the book, so I hope it works out as well for you, too.

I wouldn't leave Christmas to kids - it's really enjoyable for me to pick out gifts I think someone will really enjoy, to shop for someone else and think about someone else, to have surprises for them and to be surprised. I love it.