The BESTEST present ever! (NOT) (page 4)

waiting

Howdy Nelly,

Thanks for the nod of approval on *my honey's* gift. When I get a new crockpot - he'll go back to being called *that ol' fool.*

I told him this morning that he had terribly complicated my life - now I had to give him something really, *really* nice for our anniversary. He just started shaking his head no and rolling his eyes. "You give terrible gifts. Just let me buy my own and don't complain about the money."

I knew there was a catch - he's gonna get something really, *really* expensive whatever - and it'll be made of metal with gadgets (and not for sex, btw.)

waiting

Mulan

Princess, I had forgotten all about that clock. I'll bet we have a photo of it around her somewhere. I'll have to post it. What ever happened to that little gem........er, I mean BIG gem.

My family gave me a hammer one year, at anniversary time. I know that sounds odd, but it was so appropriate. I could never use a hammer during the day because it was always in Dave's tool box on the truck, so with that gift, I had my own, and didn't have to use the can opener anymore, to pound nails to hang pictures and curtain rods. I still have it too, about 26 years later, in a drawer in the kitchen!!

One of my friends' husband gave her a vacuum cleaner for their anniversary two years ago. I thought she was going to KILL him. He was oblivious to why she was crying. Her thoughts on it were, that she cleans other people's houses 5 days a week, and her anniversary gift was a vacuum for their own home. It made her fell like he saw her as a maid or something. He took it back and bought her a ruby ring. She loved that!! For myself, I would be thrilled with a new vacuum, and keep the ruby ring. Who needs it?

Marilyn (a.k.a. Mulan)

DannyBear

It was a couple of year's after jwdom that I started celebrating Christmas, my girlfriends family made me feel an immediate part of the family. They really have some great traditions involving gift giving.

Sometime in late October or early November they (each family member) exchange wish lists, lists of items that they really need or want. For the next several weeks everyone talks via phone, about who will buy what gift for what family member. When Christmas finally comes around everyone is really excited, because they know they will probably get one or more of the items that they put on their list. Nobody knows who will give it, and sometimes they don't get what the exactly what was on the list..but usually something better.

I know this sounds a little structured, but almost no one is sad about what they received, and very little returns are needed.

Of course the jewelry and other personal items, are always additional to the list items. But when you buy something on an individuals list, that you know they want, it makes it a more sure fire hit. The lists are usually very long, so you get to choose only 1 or 2, the other family member's may pick up the slack, or not.

Really works great! I love Christmas.

Danny

TR

Made the clothes mistakes, made the kitchen gadget mistakes. Now, it's either diamonds, furniture, or a nice dinner and a movie.

TR

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
—Edmund Burke

Andee

I have been buying my own christmas presents for years. Usually, if we have the money, Mr Andee and I will decide what we would really like to have. Usually it's one big thing, each. A few years ago, I wanted a Kitchen Aid Heavy Duty mixer, a la Martha Stewart. I followed the store ads, and when I didn't think I could get it any cheaper, I went and bought it.

I was soooooooooo happy! I had been wanting one for years, and there was NO WAY I was going to leave it up to hubby to buy it! I didn't want to take a chance that he would get the wrong one. Not very romantic, I know. That is how we have been doing the Christmas thing for years. This way, I am NEVER disappointed.

Andee

DannyBear

Andee,

You sound just like my lady. She has learned that it is important to give me very explicit shopping instructions, model #, color, etc. Many times I was very glad she did...because I would have picked up the item, but neglected the details. It's so much better to get the exact gift you wished for! Eh?

Then again a surprise gift ain't to shabby either.

Danny

thinkers wife

When I was married in the Borg, my mother-in-law was famous for giving me horrible gifts. And I had to grin and act like I liked it. One time she and my father-in-law went to Scotland. When they came back they brought all of us gifts. Now to give some credit, I am not exactly easy to get gifts for, I am very particular. But when it comes to colors, I am pretty self-explanatory. All you have to do is look at the colors in my house and you pretty much have it. She had told my sister-in-law, that she knew how picky I was and that if I didn't like what she bought that it was no problem I could trade with someone else or whatever. Well, she had bought a wool throw. That was fine, but it was this pukey yellow and grey. It had a strange resemblance to baby poop. My sister-in-law knew I would hate the color and offered to take it off my hands. Well needless to say it started world war three in the family. Whatever, no matter what I did in that family it was "damned if you do and damned if you don't".
Now Thinker and I have it figured out. First of all he knows my taste quite well. On my first birthday together he bought me beautiful diamond and sapphire earrings. On our anniversary we went shopping and bought a gorgeous antique diamond pinkie ring. For this birthday I saw a diamond anniversary band that I adored. He pointed out to me that it was indeed an anniversary band and for five years. I thought quickly (and meant what I said) "How about ten years for each diamond?" He said, "Fifty years? Deal!!!" I am a happy woman!!!
For Christmas the living room and kitchen are getting painted. What more could a woman ask for?
TW

thinkers wife

Waiting,
CONGRATULATIONS. Sounds like a hell of a ring!! Good boy, give him a bone!!!!! (you can take that however you want, pun possibly intended]
TW

LDH

Waiting, nice work, chick!

These stories are great. Also, I need to point out to JANH that I am not ungrateful, but when (as has been pointed out) I spend tons of time choosing and wrapping a personal gift and in return I receive a kitchen appliance, I believe there is some bitch room there.

True, men are not (SWEEPING RATIONALIZATION FOLLOWS) the born 'gift-getters' that women are, but c'mon, a little effort?!?!?

Also, I forgot about my last years present. We had our usual crowd for Thanksgiving and I noted (out loud) that some of our glasses must have been broken in the move, because we didn't have a complete set.

My Christmas present? New glasses! And as an added bonus, I also received a matching tablecloth and placemats. Sheesh.

When am I gonna learn how to give 'hints'?

Lisa

ps Mulan I simply must see that clock!

Angharad

I've been debating whether to post this for a few days, so what the hell!

On my last birthday Simon bought me simply the best present ever....NOT

On the day Simon totally forgot and went out to work, he remembered as he came home, so he walked in a gave me a kiss and...........a box of cheese crackers (that he had bought for himself at dinner-time but never ate them)

Fairplay to him, it was the first year we were celebrating, but am I being picky here, and he is very bad with dates.

The BESTEST present ever! (NOT)

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