Gifts to Say "I Love You"

"My husband never buys me anything," complained Nancy as she admired the anniversary ring my Honey had given me. Her envious expression changed considerably when I told her the rest of the story, however...

Now that he's retired, Richard drives part time for a local bus company and one day while working a big golf open held here in Dothan, he found a diamond ring in the street. After making all the usual efforts to locate its owner and waiting 60 days for someone to claim the lost treasure, he decided he could keep it with a clear conscience, so gave it to me as an early anniversary gift.

"I have a passion for all sorts of jewelry and have made no secret of that, but I know that Richard would never have bought that ring, not in a million years! I also love perfume, yet never has he given me any," I told Nancy. "But he has given me a rod and reel, an electric drill, a miter saw, pictures of dogs and pigs, and thermal overalls."

Nancy's mood began to improve. "Not very romantic, is he?" she mused. "Tom does a little better than that!"

"Ah, so he does buy you things after all," I teased. She laughingly agreed.

If your sweetie pie is not the romantic type who sends unexpected posies or surprises you with the gorgeous earrings you admired in a jewelry store window, you are not alone. Men like that are a rarity. My ex-husband was that sort... a real ladies man -- in every sense of the word! Never mind, I'll settle for a new set of drill bits and a loving fellow who is solid as a rock and treats me like I am the most precious thing in the world.

He didn't used to, but now brings me little "just because" presents all the time. How did I get him to do it? I did it for him! I started getting some special little thing he liked two or three times month... black licorice (yuck!), a box of flat toothpicks to carry in his pickup (he chews them), his favorite kind of crossword book... just little things. And I would present them with great flair, calling the "just because I love you gifts." Once in a while I would get more extravagant... a leather cover for his Bible, a new jacket or some fishing tackle.

Even if your special fella doesn't take the hint and reciprocate, giving special little gifts is a great way of showing your love. These presents can be something you make, like a special meal he enjoys or putting together an album of his childhood photos. Every now and then, maybe once or twice a year, try for a bigger, more inspiring show of affection.

But the best gift you can ever give your man is to accept him for who he is and tell him so. Praise and encourage him often and lavishly, and forget about wishing he would do this or that differently. The next time you pray together thank God for your Honey. Concentrate on his positive traits and celebrate them openly.

Buying Gifts for Men
Submitted by F. Bills (a man)

Buying gifts for men is not nearly as complicated as it is for women. Follow these rules and you should have no problems.

Rule #1: When in doubt - buy him a cordless drill. It does not matter if he already has one. I have a friend who owns 17 and he has yet to complain. As a man, you can never have too many cordless drills. No one knows why.


Rule #2: If you cannot afford a cordless drill, buy him anything with the word ratchet or socket in it. Men love saying those two words. "Hey George, can I borrow your ratchet?" "OK. Bye-the-way, are you through with my 3/8-inch socket yet?" Again, no one knows why.

Rule #3: If you are really, really broke, buy him anything for his car. A 99-cent ice scraper, a small bottle of deicer or something to hang from his rear view mirror. Men love gifts for their cars. No one knows why.

Rule #4: Do not buy men socks. Do not buy men ties. And never buy men bathrobes. I was told that if God had wanted men to wear bathrobes, he wouldn't have invented Jockey shorts.

Rule #5: You can buy men new remote controls to replace the ones they have worn out. If you have a lot of money buy your man a big-screen TV with the little picture in the corner. Watch him go wild as he flips, and flips, and flips.

Rule #6: Do not buy a man any of those fancy liqueurs. If you do, it will sit in a cupboard for 23 years.

Rule #7: Do not buy any man industrial-sized canisters of after shave or deodorant. I'm told they do not stink - they are earthy.

Rule #8: Buy men label makers. Almost as good as cordless drills. Within a couple of weeks there will be labels absolutely everywhere. "Socks. Shorts. Cups. Saucers. Door. Lock. Sink." You get the idea. No one knows why.

Rule #9: Never buy a man anything that says "some assembly required" on the box. It will ruin his Special Day and he will always have parts left over.

Rule #10: Good places to shop for men include Northwest Iron Works, Parr Lumber, Home Depot, John Deere, Valley RV Center, and Les Schwab Tire. (NAPA Auto Parts and Sear's Clearance Centers are also excellent men's stores. It doesn't matter if he doesn't know what it is. "From NAPA Auto, eh? Must be something I need. Hey! Isn't this a starter for a '68 Ford Fairlane? Wow! Thanks.")

Rule #11: Men enjoy danger. That's why they never cook - but they will barbecue. Get him a monster barbecue with a 100-pound propane tank. Tell him the gas line leaks. "Oh the thrill! The challenge! Who wants a hamburger?"

Rule #12: Tickets to a Red Wing/Lions/Pistons/Tigers game are a smart gift. However, he will not appreciate tickets to "A Retrospective of 19th Century Quilts." Everyone knows why.

Rule #13: Men love chainsaws. Never, ever, buy a man you love a chainsaw. If you don't know why - please refer to Rule #8 and what happens when he gets a label maker.

Rule #14: It's hard to beat a really good wheelbarrow or an aluminum extension ladder. Never buy a real man a step ladder. It must be an extension ladder. No one knows why.

Rule #15: Rope. Men love rope. It takes us back to our cowboy origins, or at least The Boy Scouts. Nothing says love like a hundred feet of 3/8" manilla rope. No one knows why.

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