What is a good gift 🎁?

This question is not a matter of the universal importance, or a solution to the problem of wars and diseases of mankind.
But as we remember, life consists of small multicolored pebbles that fill our bright vessel of being.

Remember how many times you asked yourself or heard a question "what should I give him / her for his/her birthday?"
It would seem that it’s such a simple matter on a pleasant occasion, but it can deliver a lot of nerves, excitement and hassle in our quiet rhythm of the current of life.

There are three categories of people whom we can congratulate with a birthday present:

• Colleagues, distant friends and relatives

• Close friends

• Sweetheart, parents

In the first case, you can give simple things:

1. Postcard
2. Flowers
   
3. A phone call
4. A small souvenir

In the second and third versions, everything is much more complicated.
Banal gifts, will they be able to deliver real, deep, childish joy?
Now I will explain what I mean.

If you do not take into account the first group of people selected by me and those who give you a list of desired gifts in advance - it is not so simple, but so interesting!

I am convinced that every person (if you know him well, or just try to listen carefully and compare the details), you can pick up a unique, desired gift.
Even the person himself may not be aware of his true desires.

Well, for example, your friend orders a gift in the form of something practical (cosmetics, clothes, equipment), although she wants just to leave for a couple of days and stay with nature, look at palm trees, leave her work, household family affairs and disconnect. But after all, how will she allow herself such frivolity, when she has children, husband, deadlines ...

Material things will surely give pleasure. But if the gift is made more personal and meaningful - the sensuous sphere will fill many holes in the soul of the hero of the occasion

For example, the father of a large family, deserved husband, grandfather, businessman, every year, gets expensive cigars, whiskey and other things as presents. But after all, he himself can perfectly acquire all of this.

http://handmadeidea.com.ua/sad-i-dacha/girlyandy-fonarej-vo-dvore/

And here in the family there is a new person - daughter-in-law, very attentive and sincere person.
Before the upcoming birthday, she spends evenings with her family, she is shown family photos, the room is filled with the smell of delicious home made food, then with the aroma of coffee and the comfort of family stories about childhood.

And so the day of the anniversary came, tables were laid in the backyard, the chateau and garlands were fluttering over them, people were running around in confusion of preparations.
Music, an abundance of food, wine and dances.

http://2mytales.ru/blog/43277100912/Dizayn-dvora-chastnogo-doma.--Sozdayom-uyutnoe-prostranstvo

The culprit of the celebration is at the head of the table, his wife is next to him, children, grandchildren. Gifts time came. The old man smiles at each new congratulation and with a sincere gratitude puts expensive items of toilet, cigars on a special table.

Now is the turn of young family. The daughter-in-law got up with her husband and approached the father-in-law, holding a frame with a worn photograph.
It turned out that the frame is made of an old tree in their garden (it was planted by the grandfather of the old man), and in the photo there was a birthday man, his sons, whom the camera caught for labor over the family affair.
Since then, one son died tragically, the second - left far and lost touch with relatives; and those two who are here today - did not want to continue the family business and now rarely visit the old man.

Wrinkled hands touched the frame, a black and white shot fits between the wooden details harmoniously, and joyful smiles of five men are shining right from it.
Needless to say, how excited the heart of the man of the family.

https://www.shutterstock.com/video/clip-9393755-stock-footage-wooden-frame-on-a-white-background.html

Now he realized how carefully his daughter-in-law listened to his stories attentively, when he poured out his soul by the fireplace a few nights ago.
He just wanted his whole family to be together again.
And now at least the photo will warm his tired soul.
The holiday continued with dances, fun and joyful conversations. The table with presents was already strewn with them to the top.
Only one gift stood alone - next to the wiry hand of a mysteriously smiling birthday man.
(Inspired by the story from Cecilia Ahern's book "One Hundred Names")

Personally, I had somehow the inspiration to please the best friend on the day of her 25th birthday.
She asked me to give her only her favorite perfume and it was supposed that we would sit in a cafe in the evening.

Gathering my thoughts and knowing exactly what would please her, I did the following:

• Ordered a huge cake in the form of her favorite perfume

• Rented a house with a garden for 2 days so that guests could come with an overnight stay.
• Called close friends
• We decorated the house and the yard.

• Asked my friend DJ to join to the fun ( we were preparing a musical selection about a week)

• Took a video with congratulations from 25 people, walking around the city center. Surprisingly - all the congratulations were not trivial and straight to the point. (The installation took about a week, too).

On the day itself, in the morning, balloons and her favorite perfume were waiting in the car. She thought that this was the whole gift.

I said that I need to pick up something quickly from friend’s house, and then we were suppose to walk around the city to the cafe.
In the “friend’s” house surprise, of course, was a success.
And what was the most valuable? The time that friends could allocate for the presence there, the video with congratulations.
Even those balloons - a trifle! But they still create an atmosphere of celebration.

https://www.pinterest.com/ohjoy/balloons/

---

Sometimes we need to think about WHAT we are celebrating

We are so used to the banal stream of this holiday, the same congratulations.
“It's every year”, we think, - “The next time I'll think of something more interesting”.
But where is the confidence, what will be next time?

Just imagine - your birthday. BIRTHDAY. Just blow away the dust of bored meaning and really think about these words. This is almost the main holiday for everyone! Let skeptics and pessimists consider this day as a fact of aging.
But people who live in full can safely celebrate this holiday of life, the day when everyone was given a chance to enjoy this world and bring something of their own to it.

If you read up to this line - you already understood how I like to please loved ones on their special day))

So - about the miracle of life.
If you ever read articles about the fact of birth, then you know how miserable a chance that a new life arises after the act of love is.
Https://blog.oviahealth.com/2016/06/29/how-many-sperm-does-it-take-to-get-pregnant/
We are all real lucky ones!

Centuries ago, only the pharaohs had the privilege of celebrating the day of the beginning of their earthly life.
And now we can all at least once a year rethink our life, celebrate it and rejoice that a few years ago a small spark ignited within one woman and flared up with the real fire of your soul.

And on this special day of the year you will see the reflection of this fire in the eyes of people close to you and in the burning candles on the birthday cake.

As a result, what is the best gift, you ask?
Just you listen to someone you want to please. Very carefully and truly. The answer will not keep you waiting.

And of course I am convinced that your best gift has always been, is and will be your time, attention and love.

P.S. Interesting facts💡☝️:

• On the child’s first birthday in India, his or her head is shaved while the baby is held over a special fire, this is to symbolise cleansing of evil and renewal of the soul.
  And turnes out that if you are a man over 30 who is still single, you will be made to sweep the city hall stairs while your friends throw garbage at you. That way everyone will know you don't have a girlfriend
  https://www.serenataflowers.com/pollennation/weird-birthday-traditions-from-around-the-world/

• Vietnamese children, and Vietnamese adults, all celebrate their birthdays on one day of the year —irregardless of the actual day they were born. That day is called Tet, and it's known as the beginning of the New Year. Kids get money from their parents on that day.
  https://www.bustle.com/articles/136530-11-cool-birthday-traditions-from-around-the-world

• In Jamaica, people throw flour in the face of the birthday boy or girl, supposedly for good luck.
  https://team.org/blog/birthday-traditions-around-the-world/

• Chinese birthday tradition maintains that one should symbolize their longevity by eating a plate of long noodles, slurping them in as far as possible before biting.
  http://mentalfloss.com/article/52335/7-birthday-traditions-around-world

About putting candles on the cake🍰:

Some scientists think this this tradition began in Ancient Greece.
"The Greeks would make round cakes to honor Artemis, the goddess of the moon. The lit candles on the cake represented the glow of the moon, and the smoke from the candles carried their prayers and wishes to the Gods who lived in the skies."

Some clame that it started in Germany, where "a candle was supposedly placed on the cake to represent “the light of life”."
http://www.proflowers.com/blog/origin-of-birthday-cake-and-birthday-candles

Despite the fact who and when came up with this action - today we can not imagine a birthday cake without candles 🎂

Which gives an excellent chance to make a cherished wish, marking your celebration of precious gift of life.