Looking for the

I didn’t see that coming when I asked. It was after dinner, and as we walked out of the restaurant, I noticed a souvenir shop. Without much thought, I blurted out the question. He knew I was speechless. “That’s what I want,” he said without elaborating.

Presents – be it for birthdays or Christmas – need not be the latest gadget or the most expensive outfit from an international brand. Why give such a gift when the receiver has nowhere “posh” to go to. For someone with few clothes, gift vouchers or even several outfits from a moderately-priced brand would be better appreciated.

Quite often, we buy presents for others without doing any serious thinking. We buy what we fancy.

We also imagine what others present at the party will think of us when the present is opened.

We visualise others going “Wahhh ...” or “Fu-yoh, expensive taste she has.” We want others to be impressed – that’s the keyword.

We want the birthday person and the entire neighbourhood to make a fuss over our gift.

When asked why such an expensive item, we’d casually say, “Oh, well ... it will look nice on her,” or with a giggle, “It’s the latest in the market, dear. It’s the best.”

“Best” has a totally different meaning to different people, depending on what phase of life they are at. What is best for you might be downright unnecessary to another.