In the early years of my marriage I lived in a fantasy world where I thought the perfect gift would magically appear for every occasion. One year he got me a clock radio.....
I then began to set out guidelines for him. I've instructed him that he is never to buy me electronics unless I specifically ask. I've also banned him from shopping for me at Target. I know there is nothing wrong with Target, but I hated knowing that he was piling the kids in the car, running to Target and grabbing the first thing he saw.
I then began to drop hints. Apparently I did not drop them loudly enough. He would complain that he never knew what to get me. Although to his credit, he did do well one year with a new set of pots and pans.
In recent years I have started getting a bit more specific.... "honey, there is a pair of shoes on hold at the shoe store under your name.... go buy them" "there is a coat at Macy's"... and then I'd give him the complete description. One year I e-mailed links of things I wanted. This year I shopped for myself and my new boots are sitting in the bedroom waiting for him to wrap them
He is a wonderful man, but he is a bit challenged in the gift giving department at times.
