Call me Ms. Scrooge but ever since I was a kid I found it odd to get manufactured greeting cards wishing me a Happy Halloween, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Valentines Day, etc from people who never wanted me to answer them honestly when they asked me how I was doing.
I took issue with the greeting card companies. At 13 I wrote a paper for school criticizing corporate America’s greeting card phenomena. Not only did these companies produce an enormous amount of waste but I could never understand the concept of buying mass-produced sentiment. I found the tear jerking advertisements offensive. I made sure everyone in my family saw how the Giant Greeting Card Co.s brainwashed an entire society into sending store-bought cards; making those of us that didn’t send a purchased card into “outsiders”.
I’ve always felt that if you want to give something to someone you care for, give something that speaks to them. Choose a unique gift, send a written note, make a card just for them or have a meaningful conversation to let them know how you feel. I think that if you turn up with even a token gift, that you obviously put effort into finding, just for them… you’ll score… big-time.
Fast forward 32 years. We are prepping Surfing Cowboys for the Holiday Gift buying rush. Ok, I know what you’re thinking here… Ms. Scrooge has bought into the holiday gift craze because she’s now in retail. Well not really. We have always made gift purchasing a unique and original experience at Surfing Cowboys.
I’ll never forget the first time one of our customers announced that his wife told him that she’d be happy with anything he bought her at Surfing Cowboys. That comment speaks to our edit. But I think of those words every holiday season because it is at this time of year that we go into “gift-matching” mode.
It’s not about the price or the pizzazz… in our opinion gift giving is about presenting someone with an item that resonates. And, if it looks like the giver had to hunt a bit to find it, all the better. Often it is enough to send a token gift, to let them know you’re thinking of them, but wouldn’t it be great if that token gift rocked their boat?
Tell us about your person and put us to the test… we’ll “gift-match” you with a few items that will feel like treasure hunt finds. There’s never any pressure to purchase… and you’ll only need to dig for your confidence… to be different from the pack.
If your friends are anything like ours they’ll appreciate your individuality. And after all, shouldn’t your special one-of-a-kind friends receive special one-of-a-kind gifts that they know you worked a bit to find?
Donna G.

















