Yesterday we looked at the problems surrounding gifts and your spouse and how sometimes it can end up so wrong. Here are some simple solutions to getting gifts you like from your spouse.
When shopping point out and admire things in the shops that you would like or in the catalogues mark things that you would like and leave it lying somewhere your spouse will see it. Or just give it to them and say, ‘if you’d like some ideas.’
Provide a suggestion list of things you would like complete with the name of the store where they can be bought, price and size if it is clothing. Mick and I sometimes do this for each other but more often for family members who ask for suggestions of what to buy. If nothing else it gives them a guide to things you might like. Yet the gift is still a surprise as you don’t know which of the items listed they might buy.
Others I know simply give their spouse money and tell them to get what they like. Though practical, I’m not a fan of this as it takes all the fun and surprise out of opening a gift. To me it seems like the person couldn’t be bothered to put any thought into finding out what you would like so they took the easy option. But everyone’s different, so if you don’t mind the lack of surprise, this could be an option. Others choose to co-opt another female like a sister or secretary to help. Again to me that’s taking personal involvement away.
I was going to tell you about my best gift. That’s hard, as there have been so many so I’ll go with the latest form Mick. It is a colored glass owl. He spotted it while we were buying a gift for someone else and bought it for my owl collection. Another is a green floaty skirt he gave me at Christmas. He bought it from a shop which I can’t even stand to enter because of the overpowering smell of incense though I love the clothes they sell. Often the best gifts are those spontaneously bought because it seems right for the person.
My worst gift was many years ago. It was a brown and beige sweater. Though lovely, I hardly wore it. They are colors I never wear. Plus, it was wool. I never wear wool and I never wear sweaters, only cardigans I can take off easily if I’m too warm. So the reality is no matter how much we are in tune with our spouse there are still times when we’re going to get it wrong.
Join me tomorrow for how well do you know your spouse.
Related blogs
Something You May Not Have Thought About
A Little Spoiling Goes a Long Way