Actually, I got my wife a vacuum cleaner for our 25th anniversary. She saw an article about the Roomba vacuum and wanted one. In fact, she insisted that exactly what she wanted for her anniversary.
Originally, I told her that I wasn’t going to get her a vacuum for an anniversary present, but after thinking about it (if she really wanted one, who am I to say “no”?), I ended up getting her one anyway. That and a nice neckless.
I might as well not have bothered with the neckless since she was so thrilled with the Roomba.
Stupid thing broke down after a couple of years, and would have cost too much to repair. I was thinking about getting her another one, but we decided it’s just quicker grabbing a broom and sweeping the floors.
We are obviously not in the 1950s or 1960s, and I have been accused of being old fashioned so keep that in mind too I guess. FTR: I am married, mid-thirties (okay maybe mid-to-late thirties ;)) and a stay-at-home mom to children who are too old to need me at home (oldest is 20, youngest is 13). The only thing I asked for this year is a vacuum cleaner. Specifically I asked for a Dyson. I already got one of my Christmas presents from my husband (we are both too impatient to wait and end up exchanging gifts the day we buy them) which was not a Dyson- it is a new iPod Classic to replace my several years old iRiver. I expect I will get another little something under the tree but not what I asked for.
Last year I asked for new pots and pans- instead I got diamonds and pearls (not that I am complaining, but I’d get more use out of the pans) the year before that I got more jewelery, and some other personal and thoughtful gifts, but not the practical items I asked for.
My favorite gift-giving occasion from my husband was when he was at a loss as to what to get me so he gave me a nice card with a few hundred dollar bills tucked inside. I used it to buy a Kitchenaide mixer and cool attachments for it- best present ever. You’d think he would learn that when I ask for “practical” it is because that is what I want.
And that is my long-winded way to say that some of us wives even in 2009 would be thrilled with a vacuum (as long as it is the one I want) as a Christmas gift. Instead I guess I will do what I always have and use our tax refund to buy whatever practical but not not really needed item that didn’t make it under the tree.
If you rummage around on the various food bloggers you can get to photo streams of some of the most amazing cupcakes, there is one lady that hand makes her own custom cupcake papers.
My dad didn’t need to buy my mum a vacuum, there was a whole house system already installed in the house =)
We didn’t get clothing type useful gifts for presents, we always got books and toys, games, puzzles and fun stuff. We got clothing and useful items when we actually needed them - august we got taken out and bought school clothing as needed, much more sensible and funner for the kids.
I refuse to give useful goods as presents unless someone has been begging for a rhoomba or food processer as a nifty new shiny toy.
I don’t have a cite (I’ll try to find one), but I recall reading that we spent the same number of hours (roughly), as was said, because our standards for “clean” have gone up, counteracting the fact that our appliances let us do chores in less time.
My husband says there are two kinds of gifts: Clothes and toys. If it’s not clothes, it’s a toy. CDs, books, power tools, car accessories, software, etc., all qualify as toys.
I recall the Mad Magazine’s Lighter Side cartoon in the later 60’s or early 70’s, where he gets her a pipe stand for Christmas and she gets him a kitchen mixer…
My husband got me a Dyson as a surprise gift one time. I loved it! I got a set of new stainless steel pots and pans for my birthday last year, but I picked it out and said that’s what I wanted.
This year we’re getting a new propane grill for each other.
Absolutely…but you better be sure to take it in if it rains. And things get stuck in it. And sometimes bugs come in. And if it’s cold, it’s an absolute misery to take those things down. Etc.
I got my wife one last year, and it was definitely her favorite of all the presents. Not for the cuteness but for the suckingness. I’d be worried if she had to choose between the Roomba and me - I think I’d win because the Roomba doesn’t know how to fix her computer.
I’d be worried if she had to choose between the Roomba and me - I think I’d win because the Roomba doesn’t know how to fix her computer.