Day 169--- Let There Be Light...

Right off the bat I want to throw out a quick little complaint about this groundhog asshole... I don't know when in history they decided to make his shadow the Doppler radar, but I hate him for it... Mainly just because I don't believe that rodents should be given this much power, but also because just a few days after that little jackass saw his shadow we are expecting 12-16 inches of snow. Growing up predominately in the south we used to get excited by snow, one year we even got enough to make about 3 snowballs before it melted, but now that I am a big boy the snow is not so exciting... Especially when you fall on your ass in the middle of a busy street, just sayin. But enough about me, onto the topic for the day... If you have ever had a birthday, or been to a birthday party, which as long as you are not Jehovah's Witnesses I am sure you have. You have definitely encountered this next person, the candle gift giver.

This person typically begins their shitty gift giving trait in their high school years... It starts when boys start being invited to girls birthday parties and it is officially past they days where giving dolls and other girly stuff is acceptable. They are typically faced with a small dilemma, do I assume they are tomboyish and get them something I would like, do I try and take a stab at what type of music they are into, or do I go the thoughtful route and try and think of what a maturing female would like most. After hours of research and a little convincing from mom they decide that a scented candle is both girly and mature... Perfect, how thoughtful, how original, yes at 13 or 14 maybe... But there is a time when this nonsense must stop, or so you'd think... Most people move on and realize that they need to start being more thoughtful when they pick out gifts, but some people pretty much keep that area of thought on autopilot from there on out...

If you are wondering how I know so much about these people, it is because I too was once a candle-holic... I was the guy who grew up with like 3 guy friends and 27 girl friends who I quickly had to learn what gifts to buy each of them that would not show favoritism. It just so happened that Wal-Mart read my mind and offered a very nice assortment of cheap candles, with their help I could go to the same persons birthday party 10 years in a row and never get them the same scent twice... The good thing is that I knew I was not alone, there have been numerous events that I have attended where candles were as far as other peoples gifting creativity went as well... I cant blame them, candles really do appear to be the perfect gift... Not only do they smell fantastic, and create light, but they can be used as paperweights or bookends. Candles are a bit of history, but they also appear to be a thing of the future, these things stand the test of time no matter how many things we find that smell better or brighten brighter... I mean honestly though, you don't see us using tape players and telegraphs, but here we are day after day lighting candles up when all we really need to do is flip a switch... In a way I am proud to gift a candle, and you should be glad to receive one, I dare you to find something that has stood the test of time better... And even in a case to case example, I still have candles that I will light up on special occasions that I may have gotten 5 or 6 years ago... No, I don't remember who got them for me, but as besides the point they were a great gift!...

With that long ass excuse of why I think it is acceptable to buy candles as gifts you still should know that there are other things out there that people like as well... I am not the best one to make suggestions, but I do hear they have these things called malls, ten minutes in there and I am sure you will have someone trying to sell you something...