La Mamacita

As if this and this weren't gift enough, my husband celebrated Valentine's Day by surprising me with a cute necklace I'd just happened to be admiring in the Sundance catalog. At least, that's the story I'm telling my colleagues and, probably, my mother. It's not untrue. He did present me with the necklace, and he did pick it out himself. The only part I'll leave out is the small fact that I slipped the catalog into his computer bag last month. Don't get me wrong, my husband has great taste and I have total confidence in his ability to gift me with something I'll love. It's just that between working and trying our best to be good parents, it's hard to take the time to actually select a gift, purchase it and REMEMBER it on the big day.

OK, so some of you probably don't do the gift thing. I admire that. I actually tried it once. When we were first married we agreed that there are way too many Hallmark holidays, and that we wouldn't fall prey to those corporately contrived manipulations. However, after having to suffer through one miserable Valentine's evening after I'd returned from a graduate school class full of women who had received thoughtful gifts and dinners, etc., my husband realized that deep down, despite my noble aspirations, I WANTED A GIFT.

Over the years, I've come to terms with this, and I'm a little less embarrassed about it than I used to be. Basically, I see it as an opportunity to show -- yes, in some tangible form other than sex -- how we feel for each other. And no, it doesn't have to be expensive. But yes, it should be something (and this is where my wonderful husband winces) thoughtful. A tall order, I know. And so I help a little. Just a little. And, walking around today in my new necklace that my husband so thoughtfully ordered, I feel like a million bucks.

Now, what to get him?