Men should not buy their wives clothes for Christmas unless said wives pick the clothes out.
(Karen---I want to see pictures of the clothes you have gotten in the past.....)
Simple enough, and very understandable.
Being that we are approaching my birthday and Christmas, her proverb got me thinking about gift giving and a present Matthew gave me a couple of years ago.
When it comes to giving me gifts, I think I'm pretty simple. There is nothing I need at this point in my life, at least anything tangible. In fact, I can't really think of anything tangible that I really want right now. It's been this way for several years. I like it this way because Christmas can really be about Christmas for me and not about anything I want. (The only thing I usually request is a reprieve from cooking and being the chore Nazi.)
Well, a couple of years ago, there was something I REALLY wanted and needed: A TIRE for my minivan.
I kept having to fill up the tire with air in the dead of winter. I started keeping track and it ended up needing air every 2 to 3 days. It was SOOOOO cold outside, sometimes I didn't think I could get out to put air in it somedays.
So, I talked a lot about the dumb tire and how cold it was every time I had to fill it up with air. I HINTED in a major way that a tire was what I REALLY wanted for my birthday AND Christmas and that it would make me oh so happy to have that tire. I thought I was fairly specific.....
As my birthday approached, the kids all reassured me I would be really happy with my gift. I couldn't wait to get that tire changed.
Birthday day dawned and the kids brought in a fairly big wrapped box. It certainly looked the right size.
I tore the wrapping paper off.......and boy was I ever surprised. In fact, I was so surprised, I walked right out of the room.....to my bedroom....and locked the door. (A gift has never caused me to leave a room before or since that day.)
So, what was my present............
AN AIR COMPRESSOR!
(It's funny to me now.... ) I LOVE practical gifts, I really do----I wanted a TIRE---that's plenty practical. But an air compressor????
In my mind that represented that lucky me! I could now fill my tire up in the comfort of my garage! Yipee!!
I didn't give Matthew the chance to explain that in his mind, he envisioned HIMSELF and the BOYS filling my tire up with air in the garage.......
Anyway, faster than you can say "Thanks a lot" the air compressor was returned and I did get my tire (and I was really happy about that!)
I guess our family proverb should be:
Husband should double or triple check with wife about gifts before purchasing said gifts.
Wife should send emails, put signs AND pictures up around the house of wanted gifts,
and do not hint around or mince words.
What is your family proverb for this time of year?
What is your family proverb for this time of year?
4 comments:
You did it again...made me laugh OUT LOUD!!! That was hillarious! But, you have to give Matthew credit for trying.
Yipes! Poor husbands. There are so many ways to go wrong.
And so many wives only want practical things, so I have heard of wives getting upset about a frivolous gift, like a diamond necklace.
I must admit that anything sparkly is always welcome.
I love that he wanted to give you an air compressor instead of a tire! That is HILARIOUS! That is how I felt when for my birthday the second year we were married, David gave me the ugliest bathrobe this side of the world and a steamer. I had hinted, asked, and given him the size and place to purchase a pair of shoes for me. I couldn't give him my true reaction to the horrible gifts because his parents were there visiting us. I HAD to act grateful and then gave him my TRUE feelings in the privacy of our room a little while later. Not a good day for him... :) Thankfully he has done much better since. Last year he gave me a new vacuum that I LOVE! BTW, I ended up loving the steamer and still have it, but not what I had envisioned opening up when I turned 21...
Again, soooo very funny. LOVE it!!
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