Pentti, my husband, is always complaining about the difficulties of buying gifts. In fact, I think this is a common refrain among men. I have decided that it boils down to two reasons. First, they don't listen. Yes, I am generalizing, but it's still true. If you have no idea what to buy the person you love most and spend copious amounts of time with, then you aren't listening to them.
I explicitly tell Pentti things during the year which he could use to compile a list of possible gifts. He knows where I shop the most and what kinds of things I buy for myself. Just in case he reads this blog, here are a few of my favourite shops:
Chapters, Gap, Old Navy, Starbucks, Winners, Home Sense, Superstore, Saje
A gift card to any of these stores would get used. Trust me.
A few of my favourite things:
pajamas, picture frames, candles, chocolate, books, purses, shoes (esp. black ones), mugs (esp. from Starbucks), scarves, wine, jewelry, flowers
I can't stop buying the above; I don't even want to know how many pjs or scarves I have. Every time I see a cute pajama I want to buy it. Pentti knows this. And yet, he has no idea what to buy me. This leads us to reason number two why men can't find gifts. They are too logical. Take Pentti for example. He knows I love pjs. But then he remembers the pjs that I already own and thinks I don't NEED any more. So, he decides he is definitely not buying pjs. This leads directly to panic because he has no idea what I do need. Hmmm, maybe I should tell him what women everywhere know-that gifts are not about need. They are about what you think the other person would LIKE.
