THE WIND PHONE
Christmas Will Look Completely Different This Year
Even the most traditional of holidays has to change sometime
I stood in the specialty store, comparing patterns. Sushi rolls versus pandas. This stripe pattern or this other one, with the funkier colors. Which would they prefer?
My extended family isn’t into gifts. We tried a gift exchange for a few years, but it never caught on. It didn’t matter. The Christmas potluck and the ensuing games were the stars of the show.
But something in me couldn’t let go. I love to give gifts. It leverages two of my biggest talents — reading people and research. I enjoy the challenge of finding that perfect thing you never thought of getting for yourself.
So every year, I gave a little something, small enough that it didn’t require reciprocation. Calendars tailored to each individual’s interests, items purchased in their name for lower-income families. And then, one year, socks.
Fun socks are the cilantro of the fashion world — you either love them or you don’t. But to me, they fill a function, allowing people to showcase the wilder side of their personality even as they move about the serious adult world. My family is fun but not trendy, so they hadn’t gotten into the cool sock trend…
