That opening quote gives me the vibe like it is some thing you would read in a Douglas Adams book. It's got a very Hitchhiker's Guide vibe to it. My wife and I did appetizers tonight too for New Years Eve. We also don't do gifts for each other during the holiday's since we can pretty much buy whatever we want during the year. Buying something just to buy it and gift it never made much sense to us. We'd rather put that money towards camping trips etc.
Even galaxy hitchhikers can get wrong platter syndrome, although I wish it on no one.
I get it with your gifting thing, I'm the same, I get whatever I want/need throughout the year at the time that's appropriate so Christmas (and birth gifts) aren't a thing. I actually had one such thing turn up yesterday actually...a new holster I needed. Yay for holsters and platters.
Haha, yay for holsters and platters indeed!