What comes to your mind first when you hear the word, "Birthday"?
Gift, right?
Image courtesy: Pixabay
I never really understood what gift really means? Is it a thing the person always wanted but never did? something one needs but will never afford? Or something one would love but doesn't really know about it? With time, the definitions change. I think none of them fit today. People usually buy stuff they want as they can buy everything on credit. So if they wanted it, they'd already be having it. Thankfully, most of the people in my circle have got a lot more than they need to survive. And finding what they would love without them knowing about it is really hard because our generation has gone through all those articles like "127 things to do before you die", "25 hobbies to pursue before you're 25".
So the recent definition of gift for me has changed to a thing which reminds you of a memory, fills you up with nostalgia, and can become a permanent portal to that memory. And hence, in recent times, most awwwwed gifts are personalised collages, videos of friends and families wishing them and sharing some memorable memories.
I was on this quest to find a perfect gift for my sister a few days back for her birthday. On a side note, one of the reasons I'm not very well aware of the definition of the gift is, the gift was never for her or me, it needed to serve the purpose collectively. We used to decide gifts as mature parliament house members to decide on the gift(s). I remember when days ahead of Rakhi, we'd figure out a budget we can propose to dad. We decided on our life-threatening needs like the tennis ball, doll, video game cassette. A rakhi gift is usually the gift the brother gives to sister, but the way we saw it is a gift our parents gave us. I bet sometimes people would have wondered how we behaved as if we were twins. Well again, this is based on my well-researched assumption that twins act as a single unit, the research book being "Harry Potter" of course.
With no real idea in mind, I explored the internet, and the app AlGS my sis uses to buy stuff. Even with their "improved personalised intelligence", the app did not do much help. When nothing worked, I started to go through some old photos for the collage, just in case if no idea comes to my mind. Then I saw something which I should have remembered long back. I opened the AlGS and went to customized gifts section. The gifts people had requested and their reviews seemed so tempting, I had to add my details and schedule a meeting.
Three days down the line, We just had our meeting, I gave all the information and photos I had about that doll. I signed the formality papers that I don't have copyright on the item they are creating for me and stuff and paid the advance. All I had to do now was just to wait for the gift to arrive. The revolving doll! Her treasure and second friend on earth!
Image courtesy: Pixabay
The day is here, I can't wait to see her reaction when she sees the doll after 15 years. I ring the bell. I still remember the day when I was trying to make it revolve around in reverse direction and broke it in the attempt. I can still see her face filled with tears. We had not talked to each other for that long before. It took a week before she started talking to me. Everything just flashed through. I ring the bell again... No answer. Is she again on one of her solo trips? Not again!
And there she was! The birthday girl!
" OMG!!! "
" Happy Birthday!!!"
" Thank you, so much!
I didn't think you'd be able to make it this time, too.
.....
Let me show you something! You won't believe what I gifted myself!
"
And what do I see? I see a twin sister of the doll hidden inside my backpack revolving on a well-lighted stage ready for insta shoot. "Remeber this app AlGS which I talk about! it showed me this doll as the personalised suggestion. Doesn't it look exactly like what we had?", she rushed and brought the doll to show it to me.
Didn't "intelligence" include "not stupid"? Or even that definition has changed?