It’s late January, and finally all of the hubbub of the holidays is over. Presents have been received and holiday spirit is fading. Gifts have been put in their rightful place whether that place is in the back of your closet, back at the store, or in use.

With the new gifts and new technology, new problems are coming up. Usually, this is due to Grandparents receiving these gifts from a younger generation.

Now, more than ever, people are receiving technology as gifts. According to the CEA (Consumer Electronics Association), out of the $750 each person has spent on gifts this year, an average $250 was spent on electronics, an all time high.

It’s one of those awkward situations on Christmas. Someone opens a gift and says, “Thanks! It’s wonderful! Just what I wanted..... Umm what is it exactly?”

In the past, this awkward situation seemed to only occur, at least for me, when opening a knitted hat or other unusually colorful knitted gift from my Grandmother. Now the roles seem to have changed. Grandparents are now the ones with gifts they are not quite sure about.

It really humors me how the technology part of my generations everyday life can cause older people so much frustration.

I get to help with all of the problems Grammy discovers with her Apple laptop. I think I’ve helped with everything from Audio books to ordering things off Zappos. I did not think it was possible to mess up an iPod so much and still have it work, but I stand corrected.

Some things are pretty easy. “How do I change my background picture back? I was messing with something and it changed.” Others, not so much. “I need you to help me download audio books from the Glenview library. I got it to work once I think but I have no clue what I did...” A lot quite tedious... “Julia, can you help me organize my recipes that I typed on the computer so I find them?”

Without fail, every time I’m at Grammy’s I get at least one new assignment.

Some older people don’t want anything to do with all of this new fanged technology. You can’t exactly blame them.

All of this new technology innovation was not really their generation’s thing. They just don't see the reason to get an email when they can just send a letter or call the person, or why they should get an iPod when they can just listen to their CD’s. I mean CD’s might even be a little advanced for some.

I find it ironic.

These days, living without a cell phone and access to the internet is unheard of.

For the grandparents, well, they just can’t hear it.