Mar 14, 2002 12:26 AM
1965 Views
(Updated Mar 14, 2002 12:28 AM)
Only the clan of husbands can understand the importance of this category at Mouthshut. Buying a gift for my wife has always been one hell of a problem. Its a bit tricky, if you ask me! I buy something worthless and my wife just laughs and says 'Oh dear, I have that. But it's so sweet of you to bring it for me!' That certainly gives you a feeling of having goofed up the whole thing! On the other hand, if you do buy the perfect present, then the comment invariably is 'Now, that's a big surprise! I could never have thought that you can understand so much about women!' This comment is followed by a thorough enquiry.
But all in all, it's a very difficult task to buy THE present for your wife. I had once found a way out of this predicament. I took my wife to Lokhandwala Complex and asked her to choose whatever present she wanted(Am I not a brave husband?). After four hours of window shopping and over twenty five shops rejected, we finally came home after she bought one dozen bananas, a can of oil, 1 kg onions and a pair of underwears for me. So that idea was a superflop!
Anyway, jokes aside.let us get down to the real review! I am writing here my thoughts on what kind of gifts my wife loves. Knowing the complex composition of the female mind, I suggest that all husbands may purely take this review as my personal experience. I have got excellent results with these gifts. But.results may vary from wife to wife!
The first problem I encounter is of the choice. Let me explain! My wife is fond of lipsticks. She has many different shades. Now, my problem is I always manage to goof up whenever the salesman shows me the umpteen Maybelline shades. If I think of Maroon.they have a range of at least 25 shades. How do the Maybelline people expect a poor husband to know which shade to buy? I invariably end up buying a shade that she already has! Same is the case with dresses. My wife has this strange habit of not buying two dresses having the same shade.(I guess every woman has this habit). I honestly believe that she has all the colours in the world. Yet, she succeeds in buying yet another shade whenever she buys a dress for herself!
So.what should a husband like me do? I have found a very safe and full-proof idea to tackle this problem of mine. I take her out! Simple and sweet! I just take two days off, and treat her to some hillstation. It helps her to unwind from her daily chores, and I am assured of a pleasant week or two, when I am treated like a dream-husband. This is a tried and tested system, and it has never failed me.
Of course, every occasion I cannot get the two days off. Neither can she! So the next on the list is a film on the evening schedule and dinner in some candle-light atmosphere. The best candle light atmosphere is without doubt HOME. Put off the lights, light some decorative Archies candles, open a bottle of wine and order the food from some good joint. Have that soft music CD you bought specially for this occasion and dance to the tune of love! It's a welcome change after the daily dancing on your wife's tunes!
Then of course there are the conventional gifts. Perfumes heads the list! Lipsticks are a strict no-no for the reason explained earlier. In buying a proper gift, it always helps if you know what your wife's interests are! For example, my wife loves stuffed toys. I have always scored a point by buying a Teddy Bear or a cute doggie from some gift shops. If your wife loves music, it helps if you know what kind of music she loves, who are her favourite artistes! But do make it a point to check out on her collection, lest you end up the lipstick way!
Always remember to give that special romantic touch! I have always done that. For example, I had once bought her a perfume, and I gave it to the staff at Legacy of China(her favourite restaurant). After treating her to a nice Tuesday special dinner at Legacy, I asked the waiter to bring the bill. As decided earlier, the waiter bought the bill along with a rose and the gift wrapped perfume. And I, like James Bond the second, gave her the rose first, then handed her the gift and wished her a happy birthday.
Once I had bought a ring for her, and had kept it in the soapbox in the bathroom. Once she had found a pair of gold earrings on the cooking platform when she went there to prepare my daily cup of morning tea.
My point is simple. The method of presenting the gift is as important as the gift itself. You should arrange it so that there is an element of surprise for her! It always works! I remember she had called me from her office and asked me to come to Shopper's Stop, as she wanted to buy me a jeans as a Valentine Day gift. We met directly in Shopper's Stop, and she bought a jeans of my choice. The whole time we were there, she was expecting me to buy something for her! I did not show any inclination of buying any valentine gift. When finally we returned home, I told her to go home while I went to buy a pack of cigarettes. With a rather hurt mind, my wife opened the door of the house! And there I had set the table for two, with a bottle of champagne, dim lights, balloons, hearts, and her gift - A titan watch! You can imagine her joy when I came back with my pack of cigarettes.
So all you husbands out there.figure out different ways of presenting the gift. Such things help in lending that freshness to the daily drab routine married life.
Cheers!
