gifts worth giving

Forgive me, for I have sinned -- I'm blogging about Christmas already.

Wait, gimme a chance to explain.

Gift-giving brings me a lot of anxiety. I think it's the buildup and release phenomenon, combined with all the ambiguity surrounding the appropriate level of enthusiasm you're supposed to exude after receiving a gift.

And no matter how long you and your significant other have been together, shopping for gifts is always seems difficult.

That's why sites like Glamour are already releasing holiday tips aimed at buying a gift for someone of the opposite sex.

I'm curious: For those of you in relationships, how many of you give your partner a wish list?

For years, I thought that tendency was kinda tacky, as TV movies had long reinforced the belief that it's the thought that counts.

But books like this one say leaving the gift-giving to chance can lead to problems within a relationship -- especially when you never wear the gift your partner gave you, or later use it to complain about how he knows nothing about you.

Thoughts?