I guess everybody should just be psychic.

Totally.

Best O Henry style gift-giving I've ever been involved in: My boyfriend at the time and I basically told each other what we wanted for Xmas/Bday, but we each decided independently that we should also get one more small thing that we really chose. We got each other the exact same "one more small thing." Cute.

My funniest gift story is when I friend and I each bought the other Anne Rice's interview with a vampire-- and we BOTH read it before giving it!

I was totally babysitting by age 12. I had a regular gig babysitting a family with 3 boys in my neighborhood around then. And then soon after was babysitting my baby cousins on a regular basis.

I should add that I had babysitter training in 6th grade and knew exactly what I needed to do if the hemophiliac I was babysitting for had an accident.

I hate being asked what I want.

Me too. If you have to ask what someone wants it makes it seem like more of an obligation than a gift.

We got each other the exact same "one more small thing." Cute.

awww

See I figure with close friends or family they should know me well enough to be able to figure it out! I do for them! OR have the sense to get in touch with one of my best friends (they all know each other) and ask them.

It's not like I really NEED stuff anyway. And I'm grateful for any present!

Except for my nieces and nephew, I *never* ask for a present list. It makes shopping so much easier.

My funniest gift story is when I friend and I each bought the other Anne Rice's interview with a vampire-- and we BOTH read it before giving it!

That's awesome.

Actually, my best friend and I got each other the same present one year in grammar school, too -- purple barettes with our names on them! Awesome.

It depends on who is giving the gift-- I would prefer that my mother asked me, since she usually gives me horrible, yet expensive and unwanted gifts (like TWO ugly ass lamps). But when she listens to me, she gets me expensive things that I need (like a new papasan chair cushion to replace the one my cat used as a littler box).

If I had a significant other, however, I think I would want he/she to find something. My BFF and I buy each other's gifts at the Goodwill, and make a game of finding a fun, cheap thing.

I hate being asked what I want. It feels like being asked for a shopping list -- really, not only don't I really need anything, I'd rather have some little trifle that they picked out just because they thought I'd like it!

One of the best "in-tune" Christmas gifts I ever got was from my father shortly after I started grad school in NYC. A backpack (which I had asked for), but with all the different pockets filled with subway tokens. He had secretly arranged with one of my housemates to buy the 100 subway tokens and have them sent to him in NH.

I hate being asked what I want.

I don't hate it, but I somewhat embarrassed to answer most times. That's what wishlists are for, people. I don't need to start yapping about a book, an album or a shirt I want in specific times to try and hint people in the general direction of my will (which is hard enough as is). I want to have a free talking zone around me at all times. For the love of God, I can yap about peg hammers. Doesn't mean I want them, though they can be found quite often in my speak.

That's why (and also, the fact that I'm a total control freak. If people even try to surprise me and change something in my day routine, the first thing comes to mind is "oh my. Do I have everything I need with me to handle this situation?") I'm in charge on my own birthday parties.

Also, it's a custom in my family to have wishlists from as long as I can remember. Two weeks to a month before B-Day, you hang it on the refrigerator. You get what you wanted. That's it.