Frank and I are notoriously bad at gift-giving. Family members and friends know us as the couple that gives gift cards. *gasp* They are usually to Target. (Because there’s something for everyone at Target!) Even worse, sometimes we give people FOOD. *double gasp*
It’s so easy for some of you! But out of the five love languages, gifts is dead-last for Frank and I both!
Oh, how we long to be able to give meaningful, thoughtful, needed gifts… Just this year, for my birthday, two of our friends presented me with a hand-made, pottery butter bell. The vessel is absolutely gorgeous, hand painted an earthy brown and then glazed with iridescent greens, blues, and purples. It was one of the most thoughtful and special gifts I’ve ever received, especially because I didn’t expect it. I would never even have thought about it myself, but when I asked them how they did, they replied simply, “Well, you like butter and colors, and it holds butter and is colorful.”
Sounds so easy.
But not for me and Frank!
The Plan
So now we’ve come to the gift-giving solution! At least for couples. Hmm…should have mentioned that bit. This works between two people, preferable within close proximity to each other.
Okay! So last night, Frank and I decided that we are no longer going to give each other gifts on our birthday or on holidays! We are going to give OURSELVES gifts, instead.
For example, say Frank’s birthday is coming up and I want an iPod dock but have no idea what to get him. No worries! I just buy the iPod dock.
The benefits are three-fold:
(1) Frank will get to use the iPod dock (but probably won’t as much as me).
(2) I actually get something I want and have an excuse to buy it.
(3) Frank is totally off the hook for finding me a present.
Okay, now say my birthday is coming up, and Frank has no idea what to get me, but he really wants a new golf club. Voila! He buys a golf club and gifts it to me! Hmm…okay maybe a bad example because I don’t really benefit from this one, but I’m happy that he gets something he wants, and that he also didn’t have to stress to find me a gift!
So that’s the gift-giving solution! Buy things for yourself and give them to your spouse.*
* May not work for everyone. Works much better if you both suck at gifts OR if you are both jokesters.
Wouldn’t it made more sense if whomever’s birthday it was got to pick out there own present instead of buying themselves a present on their partners birthday?? That is what my husband and I do. I can pick out exactly what I want for my birthday and send my husband to get and he will even wrap it for me. Same goes for him on his bday.
haha! good one! i got my husband an espresso machine for father’s day last year. while he does in fact enjoy it, i also (greatly) benefit. i am also a terrible gift giver. (my love language is acts of service.) we pretty much don’t give gifts (except for the espresso machine! ha!) to each other or others. we tell people we don’t give gifts and not to give us any. the only stipulation is that you can’t feel guilty, because inevitably, people insist on giving gifts even when we say not to.