February 14 is Valentine’s Day. Yep, just around the corner and if you haven’t gotten your honey something, you still have time. A word of advice… be very mindful of what you buy.
As I have written before, I have bought some unfortunate gifts for my spouse on Valentine’s Day so I feel qualified to speak on the topic, actually obligated to my peeps to share what I have learned through my many years of marriage. There are commercials everywhere telling you what to buy. My mission today is to tell you what NOT to buy.
An umbrella is one of the best tools ever invented. It’s the first thing we all reach for on a rainy day, but I am here to tell you it is not a suitable gift for Valentine’s Day. Even if it is red and smells like roses, Step Away From the UMBRELLA!
I had a friend who got the wacky idea to give his wife bricks as a gift. It was his way of telling her that he was building a new house for her. After years of renting, he thought bricks for Valentine’s Day would be a great symbolic gift. He knew in his heart the gesture was a perfect one, and that she would probably cry.
My he should have done a better job explaining the gift, but his wife came up with new creative ways and uses for bricks that he had never heard of. If he had followed her instructions, sitting would have been uncomfortable for a very long time. He was in the doghouse so long; he grew to enjoy the taste of Milk Bones.
Other gifts you might want to steer clear of are exercise DVDs, gym memberships, or workout clothes. Maybe these are all practical gifts, but to your wife it screams, “You might want to drop a few pounds.” This will send you down a path so slippery, you will be so bruised your mom won’t recognize you.
Here’s another shocker for men. Most women do not want lingerie for Valentine’s Day. I know you might be thinking I am out of my mind, but I am here to tell you, most women do not want underwear for Valentine’s Day.
She knows the gift is not for her, it is really for you. It took years for me to figure this one out. You can thank me later.
One thing I have learned, a good gift doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. One of Jilda’s favorite gifts was a homemade coupon book. The coupons were good for a free car wash, a back rub, a free home cooked meal( she didn’t cash that one in because she knows I can’t cook.) You get the drift, don’t promise what you can’t deliver but think of ways to make her happy.
For Jilda, dark chocolates make her happy, she had rather have red tulips than red roses and I get extra points for making homemade cards.
The truth is, if you know what makes your spouse/partner happy then listen to your heart and be sincere. A last minute, oh no it’s Valentine’s Day gesture will probably be frowned on. And you can do what I have done more than once, beg forgiveness for not looking at the calendar and making amends later in the week. But be prepared for the doghouse.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
