My husband's birthday is coming up in August and I know exactly what to get him. It's not because we have been married for 12 years and I know him so well. It's not because I have been paying extra attention to hear what he's wanting. I do not have psychic powers. So how do I know what to get him? He told me and I bought it.
You see we created a book of gifts. Half of the book is mine and the other half is his. When either of us thinks of something that we might want as a gift, we write it in the book. When a special occasion comes around, we look in the book and pick from the items that are listed. All the guess work is gone. Now I love surprises, so one might say "that's no fun," but it is. My list may have 20 items so I have no idea which one he'll choose. What I do know is I will be pleased with what he gets for me.
I've learned that while I get so excited with surprises, my husband is more excited with receiving what he wants. For a while in our marriage, I would strike out in the gift giving department. I would give him things that made me excited. When he got it I would get the "Oh...thanks." This would cause conflict because I wanted him to be as excited as I was. He just wanted to receive what he wanted. So what's the easiest way to know what to get? Ask!
I hear so many women talking about their upcoming occasions and the hope that their spouse will get them what they want. When asked if they told him what they wanted, I get the statement "He should know what I want." This my friends is a set up for failure. A husband getting his wife what she wants because she told him, doesn't make the gift any less special. I get the best gifts and the best surprises because I write it down. My hubby has a map to my happiness.
