Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Swing and a miss....


I don't know what it is about Christmas presents...but me and my hubby can't seem to get it together when it comes to giving each other gifts. I'm not sure if its the pressure of the season but it always seems to come up...well.. swing and a miss.
It's so weird. He knows me like no one else. We have the same sense of humour and have even developed our own language and in-jokes that no one else would get. And last night we discovered he has started finishing my sentences. After 9 years married we are in sync. Except when it come to gift giving!

Take last year, for instance. We actually bought each other the exact same present! We had to have a laugh at each other when we both opened up a Texas Holdem Poker set. Maybe just a little too in in sync?!

One of the first presents I got him was a subscription to a fishing magazine. Except I hadn't bothered to buy him the current magazine. Instead he got to open up (in front of his family) a card that I had lovingly prepared and decorated with pictures of fishing stuff on it. I got the response no one wants to hear..."What is it?"

The year before that he bought me a new frying pan and some bananas. Admittedly it was to make me some Pancakes with bananas and bacon for breakfast, but it was funny opening up bananas in Christmas wrapping.

And this year was no different. I thought since we were going to the beach for the week at Christmas a new snorkeling set would be ideal. I must have asked everyday..."You gonna go out for a snorkel today?". Until finally he revealed he hates snorkeling by himself, and is just a tad fearful of sharks, and probably won't be using it anytime soon.

And although I wasn't expecting anything this year because I bought myself an early Christmas present (A new bike for my triathlon), I was happy to open a gift from my love. A couple of CDs (not quite my taste) and a pack of my favourite brand of coffee.

I really don't want to get to the stage where you buy your own Christmas presents and wrap them up just to open something up on the day. But wasting money is a big downer. How do you all get on with getting the other half a Christmas gift?

12 comments:

Widge said...

Honestly.. I hate it!!

My hub is only into things that seem really expensive. There's nothing "stocking-fillerish" I can get him and we usually can't afford to buy anything he would really want so I give up. He has returned his presents 3 years in a row!

I tend to get things from him that I wouldn't pick for myself, yet I am the ultimate people pleaser when it comes to receiving gifts. I'd rather die than let them think I don't like it... sigh

Had a giggle at the bananas :)

PaisleyJade said...

I am having a massive laugh - so funny and cute!

You know my guy - such a mega fussy researcher that is impossible to buy for... and what makes it even harder is that he always gets me the most perfectly picked gifts which makes me feel even stinker!

So now I just let him buy his own and I get him something small as a surprise... like food he likes or this year a gift that he loves - some cologne.

Cheap and keeps him happy!

Sima J said...

Haha funny post - and funny presents! We just don't do presents for eachother - problem solved! :-) Luckily Carl's birthday is near enough to Christmas that I don't feel too bad about not getting him something - and I'm pretty sure he is VERY happy not to have to get me something tehe :-)

Leonie said...

Yeah, we're hit and miss too. Before kids my hubby bought great thoughtful presents and now ... well I usually buy my own.
this year he got me a cd I already told him Id downloaded and some earrings, exactly like the ones in my ears!! And he got me chocolate, even though I told him I wasn't eating sugar...some listening not happening!! (not that Im trashing him... just dont know where his brain has gone since having kids...lol!)
His birthday is Christmas Day so I have to come up with double the ideas.. this year I did it early and was stoked with what I got him, instead of rushing at the last minute... for once he seems happy too.

Anonymous said...

Hey Jacks... We wrote lists for each other this year... Stocking filler ideas. It was more a 'suggestion' list but it really helped and I found it sparked off new ideas that I knew he might like. It helped Hubby with knowing that I would like the present too.

But I fully agree it can be tricky. I tend to think in to it too much at times.

Shot on getting the same gifts for eachother!

Jenny said...

Oh, I know what you mean. Thinking back to before we got married, we used to put so much time and effort into giving each other the perfect gift! Ha! Not that the romance has gone but it has changed... we're just practical now... some years we don't get each other anything, and other years we just tell each other what we want (sometimes months in advance). I can't just go out and buy my hubby something I know he's got his eye on because it'll be the wrong brand, will get returned etc etc.

Lyns said...

My husband is the BEST present buyer. I am NOT. But this year I got it right. He even said this is the best present you have ever got me...and it only cost $30. Not sure how I will go next year...I like Clare's idea!

jacksta said...

haha. Glad I'm not the only one who finds it tricky!

dearfutureme... said...

My hubs is a TERRIBLE gift giver and receiver... So this year I left post it notes around the house with ideas - about 10 or so, so that it was a BIT of a surprise (I didnt know which one he would get)! I have been known to buy things, wrap them up and put them under the tree for myself from him!

Neetz said...

hahahaha that's funny Jackie :) I can just see you 2 opening up the texas holdem poker gifts..hahahaha..classic!!

Well every single year Warren and I say to each other..."lets not buy a gift this year okay??".....like a deal that we don't need gifts .. we have each other... and so we agree .. AND...each and every year HE buys something and I haven't (cos we've made the pact!!).. I end up feeling stink because he doesnt have a gift from me. Anyway, this year he bought me a tattoo voucher, because for the last 11 years (since we met).. I have been going on about getting a tatt on my inner wrist, and always either chicken out or say "its too expensive" etc...so I guess I have no excuse this year!! :)

jacksta said...

ooh Neetz what sort of tat will you get?

Neen said...

We just ask eachother exactly want we want and then go buy it. Works for us!