Gift Hunt

Five years ago, I was in sophomore high school then, I received a gigantic stuffed toy from a guy whose name I prefer not to mention. It was wrapped in blue and white, and well, you guessed it right. Blue Magic (and Bear Hugs?) was very popular way back and almost all the girls were so crazy to receive a life-sized bear. I was one of those girls, and well, I got one. It wasn’t a bear though but a white rabbit. And apparently, it wasn’t life-size because rabbits are not supposed t be that big, right?

When I think about it now, I realise how silly that was – getting all delighted by a big, furry, creepy stuffed animal. And my goodness, I was just commuting every afternoon and that stupid guy made me drag that stupid gift all the way home. It was messing up with all the other passengers in the jeepney, so I was forced to take a trike for my second ride.

So anyway, a couple of years ago, I was trying to make my room a little more spacious and the first thing I disposed was that rabbit. Since then, I curse men who give stuffed toys to their ladies. I think men who prefer giving stuffed toys are either lazy and short of time to find a nice present or clueless who their ladies are.

Through the years, I have collected a lot of stuffed animals from people. They would always say that it was never easy to find me a decent gift because I already have a lot of everything (which I wish to invalidate), so perhaps that’s acceptable. Besides, it’s always the thought that counts. Still, from the beginning, I had already advised, or more of warned, my man never to give me one of those. And well, he adhered to my advice and he just always surprises me with what he has to give.

What he gives me reflects how much he knows me. Turns out he knows me upside down. His gifts always have a personal touch in them which makes them extra special. They aren’t something you could find somewhere, anywhere.

On the first occasion we shared, he gave me a scrapbook. Yes, he made a scrapbook with all these colours and cut-outs and glitters and embossed shapes. He pooled all our camera-captured memories and wrote what he was feeling with colored pens. Today, when I flip through every page of the scrapbook, everything becomes fresh to mind ad it feels just so good.

Just last week, during my twentieth birthday, I received another special gift from him. He made me a 30-minute presentation with video clips of my most treasured friends. He looked for all of them and set an appointment with them to have their videos taken (Note: They are no neighbours.). For some, he really convinced them to send him the video clips. He went beyond what I expected from him. The first time I watched it, I sobbed. I was happy that my friends squeezed that video thing into their schedules. But, I was happier that my man is just too amazing. For him to be able to do that, his love must be way more than enough. And it is amazing. His love is amazing.