tis the season

there is an art to giving gifts and the ability to do it well. . is a wonderful *ahem* gift to have. . .
a single gift can communicate how well you know someone, your perception of that individual, your history, and your level of consideration and esteem for that person.

when done right, a gift can bring great happiness:

"i've been wanting X for over a year. thank you so much!"

and done wrong, can lead to misery all around.

on the bright side, i feel that there is not a great correlation between how much you spend and how much someone will like there gift (excluding those individuals who's requirement for a great gift is that it's expensive). a little bit of thoughtfulness goes a LONG way so perk up those ears and listen for those hints!