in the mail this week, i received the best gift i will receive all year. it was a “thank you” card. having not seen the newlyweds since their betrothal, i wondered whether they had got the present. i was so relieved to have received the card months after the event.
the wedding and celebration was wild and amazin. i handed the small package to cousin, the groom’s mother amidst the chaos.
like most individuals, i have a few superpowers. choosing luxury handbags is one. the power is an oddity in that i am a man with no interest in them. my instincts concerning quality and fashion, for an unknown reason, is unflappable. another superpower is gift giving.
while exercising my first superpower which involved visiting rodeo drive and hitting the likes of gucci, chanel, louis vuitton, hermes, i ran across something at the christian dior store. it was a blue crystal drinking class with christian dior design. the quality was amazing and the weight of it was good. i noticed something unusual about it. the star of david came out of the design. i thought that this would be a great kiddush cup if someone was willing to pay the price. a kiddush cup is used on sabbath to do the blessing over the wine. at the time however, there was no person to give it to as a gift and it was quite expensive.
about a year after seeing the cup, my cousin’s son’s wedding, which had been delayed by covid, was back on. almost immediately, i thought of the cup. before the trip to the ceremony back east, i went to the dior store and picked it up. the salesperson, who was jewish, was surprised when i pointed out how the dior design projected the star. she loved the idea.
thus, the crystal cup took a journey back east on a plane and survived the travel. the decision to buy it there rather than at our destination proved a good decision. the dior store where we went did not have the glass in stock.
in the end, with the “thank you” card now in tow, i can assume the now husband and wife are enjoying it.
gifting must have a level of absurdity to it.
i often look for something that the individual, in their right mind, would never thank to purchase for themselves. second, i look for something that will have some meaning for them.
this first of my checklist was crossed off. a dior crystal glass? who in their right mind would purchase this?
with the second, the cup will provide some meaning for the couple. the cup with its beauty can enhance the friday evening wine blessing. certainly, this moment is the time upon which a marriage and family begin to grow. for them, the sabbath meal represents the beginning of family togetherness in a time of peace and recreation. thus, the second check is achieved.
in sum, i has learned that gift giving can be a special experience. sometimes, giving a great gift can be just as rewarding as receiving one.
be well!!
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