Tab, Mrs. Rabbit and I have been married coming up on 33 years. Since we were an "item" before engaging in matrimony, there's been around 35 birthdays, Christmases, anniversaries, and Valentine's Days that seemingly required acknowledgement with some sort of gift.
Here's what I have observed through the years. The first ten or so saw thoughtful, tasteful gifts, frequently involving precious metals and attractive crystalline embellishments. Then there came a time when Bunny said, don't get me any more jewelry, I hardly ever wear it. Bunny was an OR Nurse at that time and had to remove her rings before putting on her latex gloves. It was a hassle she didn't need and so stopped wearing rings on work days--then on non-work days. So, jewelry was no longer an option.
That was okay because I view jewelry as a non-performing asset. If I am going to spend a large sum of money, I'd like to get a return on said investment. That said, stock certificates are not particularly attractive birthday gifts.
Through the second decade, gifts became more travel oriented. A couple of trips to Peru, a year spent in Asia (mostly Thailand, but also Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia and various surrounding countries). That was more than a trip as we taught English as a Second Language classes to defray expenses. Then, Bunny wanted to take some trips that I wasn't particularly interested in taking. I sent her to Mongolia, and Africa (I would have enjoyed a hunting safari, but Bunny had recently seen the story about that dentist shooting an old lion and my hunting would have caused a rift). We have also traveled to the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, Colombia, and various other Central and South American locales. And we make annual pilgrimages to Maui to visit the grandkids. The current Covid 19 situation makes those kinds of adventures impossible.
By the time we approached our third decade, we had everything we needed in a material sense. If Bunny wants a new tennis racquet or something, she buys it. Gifts are almost an impossibility because there is nothing either of us needs, and not that much that we want. So, gifting took on a different slant. I am a pretty capable chef, so for a couple of years celebrations involved my putting together some sort of elaborate feast with a few bottles of excellent vintage wine.
But, as we become more senior and less active, we have also become more calorie conscious. Elaborate feasts are fewer and less elaborate. For the most part, those annual celebrations have been reduced to an exchange of cards with touching notes included.
What I am saying, Tab, is unless you have specific knowledge about something your wife has wanted but has denied herself, no gifts are needed. The fact that you have shared so much of your life in love's warm embrace isn't enhanced or improved by a gift. Certainly, you will want to acknowledge the celebratory day with a card or some flowers, but there comes a point where gifts are superfluous. Maybe you two have reached that point. If you haven't yet reached that point, my wish for you is that you will.
Good luck,
Crusader Rabbit
MBTV
Forum Index
Help
Calendar
Contact Info
Register as a member
