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Witch Weekly · December 7, 2020 – 4:35 AM

Gift-Giving Dilemmas and Interpersonal Relationships Resolved in Brief, Witty Letters from our Favorite Advice Columnist

Ask Harmony: Holiday Edition
Dear Harmony,

I've always enjoyed home-making Christmas gifts for my close friends and family. I quilt, knit, and create jewelry in the form of small pins and brooches. All of this requires dexterous fingers and I believe that after decades of practice I'm quite good at it. Lately, however, my hands have been aching all the time and I just don't feel I'm up to it. What should I do? Buy a quilt or scarf and hope they don't notice the difference? Buy something else entirely and explain to them all that I'm too old for handicrafts? Or gift something else, say nothing, and have the recipients possibly think I no longer care enough to put the time and energy into creating their gifts?

Sincerely,
Arthritic Anna

Dear Arthritic,

I can understand not wanting to admit to a physical deficiency to all your friends and family, particularly at an otherwise jovial time of year. Perhaps you can investigate a new 'hobby' which can inspire your gifts, which is easier on your fingers — for example, baking different varieties of cookies for each gift or composing short poems. Presented in the right way, your loved ones will assume it was your exuberance for your new skill, not the weakness of your hands, that inspired the change in traditional gift.

Of course, the other obvious answer is to let your wand do the quilting, knitting, or assembling for you, but you may find this solution a double-edged sword if any of those you typically give gifts to are also skilled in handicrafts, as the workmanship is notably different, to a trained eye, when working manually or magically.

Sincerely,
Harmony Aidsworth

Dear Miss Aidsworth,

This year will mark the first Christmas since I met my beautiful soon-to-be-wife and I am quite at a loss as to how to celebrate it. I want the experience to be unforgettable, and so I've considered planning a Christmas Day outing to an isolated frozen lake where we can skate together, or taking a long sleigh ride which happens upon precisely placed carolers and, ultimately, upon her gift. I'm worried, however, that her family won't want to part with her on Christmas Day, as her tradition has been to spend the holiday at home. I'm also going back and forth on potential gift ideas — I've considered everything from a new puppy to a large garden fountain with our names engraved in the base to an enchanted necklace where the jewels sparkle with her eyes, but to be honest, nothing seems quite good enough. This is the love of my life; she makes me come alive. What can I do to make this Christmas unlike any other she has experienced?

Yours in anguish,
Fretful Fiance

Dear Fretful,

First and foremost, there is no need for such dramatics. If you truly intend to wed this woman, this will be only the first of many Christmases to come, so temper your passions. Remember that you will generally be expected to match your level of effort or expense for each subsequent year, lest your love feel your feelings have waned, so I recommend choosing a mild, traditional gift for this first Christmas, such as a basket of fruits or chocolates, a bouquet of flowers, or perhaps a small book, a journal, or some stationary. If the spirit moves you in subsequent years to create such dramatic overtures of love, then by all means, follow your whims; but please do so after you are married, or you may scare your bride away!

Sincerely,
Harmony

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