Having to come up with original birthday present ideas for the same person every year for as long as you both shall live.
Now I LOVE buying gifts. I enter into the spirit of present shopping like a Christmas elf on pills, bouncing around the shops, merrily surfing the internet for months in advance, creating master lists of ideas, secretly noting down the latest object of the recipient's affection, all the while shrouding my activities in a moustache-twirling cloak of subterfuge building up to the final (FANFARE!) revelation and surprise.
Domo-Kun slippers!
The problem with this is, when you first start seeing somebody, you have no idea whether it's going to last. So you use your best ideas up first. Sam turned 30 in our first year together, so I made a massive village fete style tombola FULL of amazing presents. Meanwhile, he BUILT me a wine rack shaped like a guitar. And bought me unicorn pyjamas. Oh yes. Our best man Rob also peaked far too early, buying his literature loving wife the first edition of her favourite book (The Wasp Factory - good choice) in their first year going out together. Ever since then, it has been a case of paddling hard to keep up the standard.
Vegan banoffee pie - nigh on impossible to make but I ruddy bloody did it
Well, there's no point saving up ideas til next year. You might get dumped.
Probably for buying fair to middling birthday presents.
But now a precedent has been set. Sam turns shhhty-shhh on the 9th of September and for a man whose basic tastes haven't altered much since the age of 12 (Marmite, Transformers, cars, cats, guitars) it's getting tougher to come up with ideas.
Sam's most longed-for but never owned 80s toy - the mighty Big Trak
Is it ridiculous for grown, married couples to continue to give silly, fun birthday presents which are complete surprises?
Should I be buying him something sensible now, like a nice wallet, or something (this is where my inner Christmas Elf lies down, starts sobbing and drumming its feet on the floor) he's chosen himself?
And now I have the added challenge of buying him something small enough to fit into an American Airlines regulation size suitcase...ARGH
No. Will DEFINITELY not fit in suitcase. Even if I sit on it.
Wow, a whole tombola full of presents? You are an awesome gift giver. As is your husband. Never go for sensible, boring presents. Why? Because...they're sensible, and boring...
ReplyDeleteIs there somewhere you could take him in New York as a surprise? Maybe blindfold him and somehow get him on the Cyclone?
Oh...wait...that's more of a gift for you...
Haha, oh dear.... Nope, can't see that going down too well! I think when I said tombola I may have meant bran tub...although the idea of having to raffle to get gifts is a good one now I think about it!
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Aw, you guys are my new fave couple! I love that you do this and put so much thought into it! It makes me want to be more creative for Jason's birthday next week. No time pressure or anything, lol
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