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I'm not particularly big on Christmas shopping and I place almost no importance on it, so I often end up throwing things together shortly before the date in recognition that it is expected of me. Truth is though, I don't expect anything from other people - and I let them know that when they ask me what I want - and I don't feel obligated to necessarily get things for anyone else. I find the much more enjoyable part of the holidays is spending time with my family and those other people I care about.
Nonetheless, if I know someone is particularly interested in something, I may look for it, or if I come across something I know someone will like and it's at a decent price, I'll get it for them. This year, while I was shopping for books for next semester's classes, I looked at the bargain shelf in our school bookstore as usual. I saw many MANY books priced at $1 (and I still couldn't tell you exactly why because they were new and when I looked on Amazon after getting hom it had the normal prices) and got a few for some people in my family. Turned out to be really good deals too - the book I got my brother is actually priced at $25, for example. I have no issues with spending little to no money on Christmas presents because I simply don't feel they're very important.
(As an aside, situations like the one Manuel Hong described are exactly the type of situations where I would gladly get a present. Even when it comes to the books I got for people, I paid $1 for each of them but I'm quite happy about getting them because I know they will enjoy them. I simply don't often actually go "Christmas shopping.")
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Le temps détruit tout
"Musicians are the carriers and communicators of spirit in the most immediate sense." - Kurt Elling
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