That One Person to Shop For

Dearest Rachel –

It’s just under two weeks before Christmas, and for the most part, I’m feeling pretty good about having everyone on my gift list taken care of, or at least under control, as there’s one purchase I’m waiting on until the last minute, for the sake of freshness. However, in the midst of my self-congratulatory mood, I realized that there was one person I hadn’t bought anything for, nor had I a clue as to what to get him.

We all have these people, don’t we, honey? Those who we can’t figure out what to get for them; either they claim to have everything they need or want (or can get it for themselves with more ease than anyone who might be inclined to get it for them), or the things they want aren’t those that can be purchased – and before you say something snarky along the lines of “not legally, anyway,” I’ll have you know I want a relationship with Megumi, not just relations, and that sort of commitment isn’t something that can be commodified, legally or otherwise. But you already know that; I can picture the twinkle in your eye even as you say it. Which is odd to say, given that I wouldn’t even be looking for a Megu-chan if I could actually see you.

Ironically, I’ve done what I can to not be that person this year. I know there have been years – many of them, in fact – where I would tell you that the only thing I really wanted was to be free from that job I was stuck with, and out from under Mohinder’s wrathful thumb. But of course, that wasn’t something you – or anyone else – could give me, and when you could (and did), it was so far removed from Christmas as to basically put me in the same place by the time the holidays rolled around. Offhand, I can’t recall what gifts we exchanged that particular Christmas; if nothing else, the cruise we’d taken earlier that month had rather overshadowed the events of the holidays, and I think you were already planning the train trip to see your godmother in February. So we were a little more focused on experiences rather than tangible gifts that year in any event. Still, I’ve tried to put down a few such tangible items as requests for others so that they have something they can cross off their lists when it comes to me.

But Daniel is a bit of a challenge – and isn’t it ironic that the person who’s so hard to shop for is the one who’s closest to me? By rights, I should know what he wants better than anyone, and thus, I should have a few things in mind to get for him. The trouble is, I’ve given what requests I know about to others to hunt down as I’ve been asked (and which, in turn, I’ve had to ask him about; he’s proven to be very much like you, in that he knows specifically what he wants, and woe be unto whoever tries to get him a similar substitute), leaving me with very little in terms of possibilities.

To be sure, there are a few big-ticket items I have considered, some of which have been in the works for some time. For one thing, he needs a new car; it may not bother him that he’s driving what used to be yours, but it just not “his,” if you’ll pardon my saying so. While he doesn’t drive all that much, he ought to have a car that fits him better than the one you customized for yourself. That, and I’d just as soon preserve your old car, for reasons that I really can’t put into words. But it would take time to research what, exactly, he would want; this isn’t the sort of thing to spring on him without his having a hand in. I’ll never understand those car commercials where someone is surprised with a new vehicle for Christmas. This is something that is going to be a part of their personality for a long time to come; they need to have a say in the particulars. And it doesn’t help that winter, as a season, is an awful time to be looking at buying a car. Today is a perfect example; with temperatures well below freezing, who wants to be outside looking at these things? No, better to wait for his birthday (on midsummer day) for something like this.

Slightly better for surprising (or at least, minimal input prior to purchase) would be a trip abroad. However, I admit that this would really be more of a present for myself, and he saw it as such when I broached the subject to him. Like with you, there are certain places he wants to go, and the Caribbean isn’t one of them. Oh, the two of us will get to the JR rail trip soon enough – probably before the end of 2026 – but that’s not something for this Christmas, I don’t think.

Last year, I managed to find a whole collection of T-shirts associated with various fandoms of his. That went over pretty well, but I don’t think I could repeat the performance. If nothing else, it’s not as if he wears out the shirts he has, and his closets are pretty much full of such shirts and the hoodies he’s had me farm out to his Poppa and Meema to track down. So unless I can find something really special, I don’t know if I’d be able to pull something like that off.

It occurs to me that he could stand to get some new bedding, and maybe a new cloud pillow. But again, like you, he holds onto what he has, and I’m not sure that he’d surrender any of it for something new. Then again, an extra layer could keep him that much warmer at night, and on a night like this, it might be worth suggesting to him. I guess I just need to pursue the matter with him a bit more.

For now, though, I suppose all I can do is to ask you to keep an eye on the both of us, honey, and wish us luck. I suspect we’re going to need it.