If you gave the man in your life tools for a holiday gift, don’t bitch if you received a vacuum cleaner in return. He wouldn’t dare, you have always said! Let’s put this into perspective. Every man I have ever known has had the occasion to use tools. If he had his own, all for the better. If he had to borrow tools from a friend, all was not better for that friend, even if that friend only used a drill as a power screwdriver. Tools are personal, not to be shared. So then, wouldn’t tools be considered a nice gift for a man who does not have his own? Not necessarily. Tools are listed in the same category as a vacuum cleaner.
If you are the owner of a useless vacuum cleaner, then receiving a new one should be a good thing, right? Perhaps it might be during the dead days of February, AFTER Valentine’s Day, but not as a holiday gift (or birthday, anniversary, or the first day you met). Why not? A new vacuum cleaner will help you be better at what you do. Isn’t that a good thing, like receiving a new computer? A new computer we’ll take. It suggests that you are a creative and intelligent person who will do creative and intelligent tasks. A vacuum cleaner, on the other hand, suggests that you are good at cleaning or will become good at cleaning. Tools suggest that you will build, fix, or power screw things well. That’s a good thing, but again, maybe in late February – not for the holidays! Tools and vacuum cleaners are generic, meaning I can’t think of anything else to get you and I know you need this so I have convinced myself that this gift will make you happy, despite the snickering from the salespeople who did not receive the commission from my purchase.
“ARE YOU SURPRISED AND HAPPY?”
“Yes, thank you so much, honey, how did you know that’s what I needed, er, wanted?”
“Can you believe what he (she) gave me for the holidays?”
So folks, don’t go there. Put a little creativity into gift giving next year. There’s got to be more to your spouse than cleaning or fixing things. A computer is fine. Just save any other mechanical gifts for late February.
P.S. I have my own tools but would love it if someone gave me a power drill!
(c) 2013 Linda Stone Cohen All Rights Reserved
Remember that no amount of money can purchase grace, wisdom and humility.
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