Season’s Greetings Listers,
Wrap all your gifts yet? Well don’t rush! How you wrap a gift says a lot about who you are. And how you open it says even more.
Think about the cheapies whose gifts are wrapped in last Sunday’s sports page. And the lazies thrown in a plastic bag with the grocery receipt still stuck inside. Think about the hectic gifters with too much paper and the last green-tagged piece of Scotch tape. Compare those wrappers to OCD-gifters, with perfectly creased parallel lines, symmetrical bows, curled ribbons, and snowman nametags written in loopy cursive.
Now think about those “kids” who tear through their gift then race to the next. Directly contrasting the patiently-waitings, who keep to themselves until each gift has been handed out, sincerely savoring each and every present, opening not only the bag or wrapping, but also the manufacturer packaging, reading the card verbatim, and actually using the gift before moving on. And then there are the OCD-unwrappers making sure not to tear the paper, saving it for re-gifting next year.
First impressions are everything. And a first impression is hard to change. But it’s not impossible! Anything can sway someone’s initial opinion, but not just your iPod playlist, your favorite movie, the clothes you wear, the house you keep, the team you cheer for, or the job you work; the quirky little things matter too.
Consider an order at Subway, or Chipotle, or even a pizza, and the volumes that speaks to others about who you are. Ham and provolone on white with mustard, lettuce tomato is simple and plain. Spicy Italian is care-free. Specialty sammies are for the adventurous. And how about the vegetarian Chipotle burrito with no beans or sour cream? Or the vast differences in people who get plain cheese pizzas versus supreme?
I’ve heard bartenders and waitresses say they can predict what certain people will order. Every stereotypical person orders a stereotypical drink. Cheap people drink Mt. Dew and Long Island Iced Teas. Classy and mature people order martinis (hence Bond’s shaken-not-stirred). A beer for the blue-collared and wine for the house-wife.
Every order says something. Every action delivers a reaction. Every moment can have a lasting impression.
This holiday season, pay attention as friends and family are opening their gifts, not just at the wrap-job, but the gifts inside and reactions whilst opening. And the lesson learned? Don’t jump to assumptions because that just make an… well you know. Wait to make “donkeys” until you take them out for pizza and a drink.
Lists Hidden in This Newsletter
Top 10 Other Things to Wrap a Gift With
Defeated Football Teams throughout History
Bare Essentials School Supply List
The Everyday World of Men and Women: Expansive Differences
Things Babies Do that Would be Embarassing for an Adult to do
Everyone's a Little OCD: What are you obsessive compulsive about?
How to Be a Memorable First Date
Playlist: Christmas Music for Sugar-Plum Fairies and Gingerbread Men
The 10 Worst Holiday Gift Ideas
List of the 5-Dollar Footlongs at Subway
Best Pizza in New York City
Top 10 Movie and TV Bartenders
Top 10 Manliest Girly Alcoholic Drinks
Actors that Have played James Bond
3 Steps to Makeup Sex
10+ Life Lessons That Took You Too Long to Learn
A Short History of Asses
ListAfterList Updates and Reminders
Make your own “Christmas Gift” list at LAL today!
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