Thursday, January 26, 2006

Loving Gifties

I don’t know about you, but I’ve received some interesting gifts in my married life. When I was still living at home, my mom bought the gifts from both her and dad, but husbands don’t always understand about gifts.

Case in point. Years ago, hubby bought me a tweeter and woofer sound system for the computer. Great gift? Well, maybe. If we actually used the sound on the computer. I sure never did. He seemed so pleased I just smiled and said, “Thanks, Honey. Wow! How did you ever think of such an imaginative gift?” I really meant that last part.

Then there was the time he gave me a digital camera, printer, two extra memory cards, case—the whole works. This for a person who goes to once-in-a-lifetime events and always forgets to bring the camera. I unpacked boxes that have been in storage for two years and just found two of those throw-away cameras with unused pictures. Again, I smiled and said thanks.

Now he has given me great gifts before—like a Kitchen Aid mixer one year, and a big Baby Ruth candy bar, all nicely wrapped under the tree this last Christmas. But he’s certainly had his share of weird ideas.

One thing I know I’ll never get from him is flowers. He says they die and he doesn’t want me thinking of him while looking at drooping roses. I imagine “drooping” anything is bad for a man, lol.

In today’s drawing, I’ll be giving away an autographed print copy of Your Desire. That’s a book hubby and I wrote together. He thought of the concept and title, knowing of course that my only real desire is him.

So, give me an idea of some of your wacky gifts, or special gifts. Sometimes the smallest little things light up your whole life. What does that for you?

15 Comments:

Blogger Bonnie Dee said...

I'm not a romantic when it comes to presents. I go buy what I want at Christmas, wrap it, put it under the tree with everyone else's gifts and am always perfectly delighted on Christmas morning to get exactly what I want. My husband knows that I honestly don't care about surprises or him thinking up the perfect gift.
But, that being said, he did give me an engagement ring to replace one lost long ago. This was out of the blue, for no particular reason one day a few winters ago. And I have to admit I was pleased. But I didn't burst into happy tears or anything. I'm just not like that.

11:57 AM  
Blogger Nicole said...

One Valentine's Day my husband (then fiance or boyfriend, don't remember) gave me a case window, LED fans and case lights. Basically a window for my computer case and with the lights it would glow. :-) And honestly, I love it! Definitely unique and showed how well he knew me.

And last year for my birthday he bought me a huge hydrangea plant. His reason: "I knew you wanted hydrangeas for the wedding, but they weren't in season."

12:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My absolute favorite gift came from my husband two years ago for Christmas. We met online and spent time corresponding via letters in e-mail before meeting in person. We've always likened our falling in love to Victorian courtship.

Then, 2 years ago, he bought me a book called Love Letters by Michelle Lovric. It's a collection of love letter excerpts, all done with a Victorian flair, and it has recreations of original letters included in tiny envelopes on the pages. It's an absolutely gorgeous book, and it makes me cry and fall in love with my husband all over again every time I see/read it.

12:42 PM  
Blogger Jennifer Y. said...

I have never really had a significant other (so no gifts from anybody on that front)...my parents did give me a special gift a couple of years ago though (not very romantic, I know). For Christmas a couple years back, my parents gave me a copy of the first book I ever remember reading on my own when I was little: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. It was very special. I have always loved reading and that book kind of started it all.

As to wacky gifts...it wasn't really mine, but my brother gave my sis-in-law WebTV one year for Mother's Day. Of course she never used it (or wanted it)...he did. I laughed so hard when she told...it was just something that he would do!

1:11 PM  
Blogger Maureen said...

I understand perfectly the hit or miss gifts you can receive from your husband. I really wouldn't mind gift cards, but my husband likes to go out and buy presents.

Over the years the worst presents he has given me were different pieces of clothing that our children have picked out. Why would a grown man allow a pre-schooler to pick out a blouse for his mother? I never knew but opening a present has always been interesting in our house.

1:17 PM  
Blogger Michelle said...

morning, dee.

i gave up years ago hoping for
the gift to be something i wanted or even needed ~grinz~.

what i usually do is go to the store, pick out the gift, put them on lay-a-way and give my family the ticket.

works pretty good and i usually get what i want.

this year for christmas i did get something i wasn't expecting though, james, my son gave me a beautiful fountain for my office.

michelle
www.michellehoppe.com

1:27 PM  
Blogger Dee S Knight and Anne Krist said...

I do think it's the unexpected that's so wonderful--like your ring, Bonnie Dee (obviously those romantic memories are special for your husband, too!), or The Love Letters book, Vivien (how romantic!), The Giving Tree book, Jennifer (how neat of your parents to share that childhood memory years later), or your fountain, Michelle (that was really special for him to do).

Nicole, I think your sweetie most definitely knows you! His giving you the hydrangea plant is wonderful!! It proves once again that a wonderful gift doesn't have to be the most expensive thing in the store, it just has to be something that touches your heart!

Maureen, I can only sympathize with your clothing gifts! I'm sure they are more for the givers than you--so your son or daughter can proudly say, "I picked that out all by myself, Mom!" That would have to bring a smile to your face even as you dread having to wear whatever it is!

Gosh, you all mentioned some really wonderful gifts! Here's another: One year when I was little, money was really tight. Dad was in the Navy and far away. He called long distance (not too inexpensive back then!), put a quarter in the juke box and played a love song for my mom. She's remembered that all these years later.

Dee

1:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My God, your husband is my husband's twin at gift-giving. I love my hubby, you all know that, but the man just DOES NOT GET IT! I want gifts that I want, not the ones he feels I should want. LOL

Lingerie is okay -- I am a lingerie slut. Love it. But that off-the-wall lounge wear I wouldn't be caught dead in -- nope. Clothing only he likes, nope.

Flowers I would love. Hell, give me a flowering plant -- I have a green thumb. And jewelry-- yes, I love jewelry. Sigh. I have to drag his cute little ass into the jewelry store (our friend's store and he gives a discount to us) and point and point and point -- and then he buys what he likes -- which stays in the drawer. Then he refuses to buy more since I never wear what he bought me. LOL I can't win with this man. So, I go buy what I want.

Which is probably why we don't buy each other presents any longer after 33 years of marriage -- we don't need anything and we never get it right.

Rae Morgan

4:41 PM  
Blogger robynl said...

Special gift: hubby hands me this shopping bag and inside was a snow globe that played music and inside was a carousel horse; it was gold and white and the globe clear, of course.
He knew I loved carousel horses and bought it 'just because'(he thought I might like it). Was he ever right.

4:46 PM  
Blogger Dee S Knight and Anne Krist said...

Rae our guys could compare notes, huh? I have gotten a fair amount of jewelry from DH--mostly earrings. Strangely enough, I like the cheaper pairs he's bought rather than the really expensive ones.

I love Harry Mason earrings--they're so different! He's in San Francisco, and when we lived there a few years ago, Jack gave me a Valentine gift. "Earrings from your favorite jewelry store," he said, and I think he was happier that he remembered about Harry Mason's than about the actual earrings.

When he was in Japan on business, he brought back a beautiful cameo surrounded with pearls. The man does have great taste.

Dee

4:47 PM  
Blogger Dee S Knight and Anne Krist said...

That is so cool, Robyn! I think this goes to show, it's when guys give a gift some thought that it means more than just the object. That's what makes it a "loving giftie."

Dee

4:49 PM  
Blogger jennyowl said...

One of my ex boyfriend once gave me RAM (Random Access Memory). It wasn't the most romantic of gifts but it was exactly what I need because I complained that my computer was running slowly and more RAM would make it run faster.

8:48 PM  
Blogger Darragha! said...

Several holiday seasons ago my husband sent me on a treasure hunt, complete with pirate hat, eye-patch, hidden clues, ball and chain, hook and a wade to an island in the middle of a creek to open a treasure chest...containing ruby and diamond earrings.

There was a holiday season when we couldn't afford to exchange gifts, so he bought me a packet of evergreen tree seeds...so that our love and fortune could grow...and it did! Three days later he received a check for 7000.00 from his grandmother. I planted the seeds (and the money!) and our love and fortune just continue to blossom!

8:57 PM  
Blogger Dee S Knight and Anne Krist said...

Jenny, isn't it great to get what you need? Now for me, I'd leave techie stuff to hubby just so I didn't come home with Mac RAM instead of PC. You were lucky to have someone to shop for you right when you needed it, lol.

Wow! Darragha, I am MOST impressed with your hubby's sense of romance!! He's definitely a keeper!

Dee

9:40 PM  
Blogger Nicole said...

Well, for Christmas and the like, we do make lists of things we'd like.

And I always try to make sure I point things out that I like throughout the year. Makes things easier, but it also helps that he's fairly in tune with what I like.

Though he got strange looks from friends when he mentioned wanting to get me an electric shaver for Christmas one year. Which I actually wanted and use.

10:01 AM  

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