Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Gifts

I was reading the Dave Ramsey newsletter this week, and I came across this story about a horrible gift:
Christmas 1994 – It was our first Christmas together as a married couple. My husband bought me an ironing board because he needed his shirts to be ironed. He also bought me cookie sheets and cooling racks. I was furious! Now we laugh about it.

Is there something wrong with those gifts? I'll admit that I'm not your stereotypical woman. And 'receiving gifts' comes in last place on my list of Love Languages. So maybe I just don't get it. I mean, of course I like romantic gifts. But I always want the types of things this lady mentions. One of my most memorable Valentine's Day gifts was when I got a gift certificate to Pampered Chef. And last year I asked for an ironing board for my birthday.

Maybe it was the intent behind the gift. I got the cooking stuff because I wanted it. I got the ironing board because I needed it to iron my own clothes. This lady's husband sounds like he got these things to benefit himself. I can see the difference there. But other than that, am I just weird for wanting practical, useful things?

This year I have received or bought myself several nice birthday/Christmas gifts. My parents gave me money for a haircut, and I am going to buy a dress. But my other super-awesome gift that I'm buying for myself is a Bissell Steam Mop! Amazon has got it on sale for $30 off right now. (That link is my friend's affiliate link. She loves the Bissell Steam Mop and has written about it on several of her blogs over the years.) I am beyond excited to get this! I don't think I'll be waiting until Christmas to use it.

6 comments:

Chandelle said...

Yep, sounds like that guy bought those gifts to increase the efficiency of his wife's servitude. Completely different from requesting them. I ask for practical gifts all the time because we're unlikely to spend money on it otherwise. I'd much rather have a Blendtec or some new dishes than a piece of jewelry I'll never wear or a CD I could easily download.

Melissa said...

I'm sure her husband wasn't trying to imply she was only there to serve him, but maybe he thought those were some useful things she could use. Some people (myself included) would rather give a gift that is useful and needed. And being a person who'se primary love language is gifts, for me, it's not just about recieving lots and lots of gifts, as much as it is about thoughtfulness. Knowing that someone has paid attention to what I need and could use and then has acted on that observation means a TON to me. We all feel love in different ways, it's just up to us to figure one another out ;o)

Marly said...

I think that's the biggest thing. From her perspect, those gifts were to help him and not something she wanted. She had much different expectations, that's why they were bad gifts. Had she asked for those things, it would have been a different story. I love getting things I need for gifts. I mean the year we bought our van, it was around my birthday and I said Happy Birthday to me! We needed a new monitor and that is my Christmas gift to me this year. Its just how it works out and I'm totally ok with it.

Blasphemous Homemaker said...

Personally I was thrilled when Bryan gifted me with a blender. I didn't ask for it, but he knew I liked to make smoothies. I'm practical that way too, though. I'd actually be pissed if he wasted money on jewelry. I'd much rather have a shopping spree at Joann's.

Ramon said...

So you shouldn't give your husband power tools according to this? Just kidding, and Katie, if you like your steam mop so much, you can use it on my place anytime, lol.

Katie said...

My apartment needs it more, I'm sure. Yes, we live worse than even bachelors. MiddleChild is the one who would do it though -- he loves that mop!