Is Ben a clod for buying his wife...

[SolaScriptura]

Ok, it's time for the annual "Is Ben a clod" thread.

I'm not into buying my wife cutsie things that serve no purpose. I buy my wife functional gifts. I'm a good gifter, that is, I give good gifts. In almost 14 years of marriage my wife will tell you that I've never given a gift that flopped.

But this is the first year that my wife has hinted that she might appreciate some new jewelry. Pfft.

This year, I'm getting my wife a nice knife set. An uber nice knife set.

What say you? Am I a clod?

 

[goodnews]

Ok, it's time for the annual "Is Ben a clod" thread.

I'm not into buying my wife cutsie things that serve no purpose. I buy my wife functional gifts. I'm a good gifter, that is, I give good gifts. In almost 14 years of marriage my wife will tell you that I've never given a gift that flopped.

But this is the first year that my wife has hinted that she might appreciate some new jewelry. Pfft.

This year, I'm getting my wife a nice knife set. An uber nice knife set.

What say you? Am I a clod?

I don't know if I'd call you a clod, but I would call you brave. Of course, I'm (according to my wife) a bad gift giver with good intentions.

 

[TaylorOtwell]

My wife says "No Way!"... She is into the functional gifts, though she says jewelry every once and a while would be nice.

 

[Phil D.]

A clod? Perhaps not. But I'd say VERY brave, given the nature of the gift your giving to a woman who really wanted jewelry...

 

[Damon Rambo]

If my wife asked for jewelry, and I got her knives, I am afraid I would be wearing some jewelry...piercings, that is.

 

[au5t1n]

I can't answer the poll because I think that's a nice gift, but I still think you're a clod.

Here's an idea: Knives with jewels in the blades!

 

[Pergamum]

My wife knew what she was getting into up front when she married me. I made it a point to get her a cheap engagement ring and an even cheaper wedding ring. I bought her flowers sometimes, but she knows that buying something ornamental and decorative that cost 20 bucks and dies 4 days later is frivolish.

Hooray for functional gifts. When the next recession happens, all the gaudiness might drain away from America.


(p.s. I did buy my wife a rolling pin for one birthday.....please, don't do that).

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Ben was born a Clod. Was raised a Clod. Will Die a Clod. LOL

I heard a Baptist say the same thing one time. I was born a Baptist. I was raised a Baptist. I will die a Baptist. LOL

Maybe they are related. LOL Excepts, Ben's side of the family is Presbyterian.

Ben, You better go buy your wife a Mink or a Diamond. I am sure she will like the knives as she would a new Sweeper. Needs are Needs. But your wife deserves above and beyond and you know it. She has done a lot with and without you and for you, in your presences and absences.

It better be over 1 Carat also. LOL

 

[T.A.G.]

booo! get her what she hints at

 

[LeeJUk]

Buying knives in this situation is a) suicide b) gonna disappoint your wife quite a bit if he intentionally hinted she wanted jewelry.

 

[au5t1n]

Did you mean to post this in a public forum, by the way?

 

[seajayrice]

Ben, why not swing for the fence and get her a push reel mower?

 

[calgal]

Knives are useful but get her something sparkly too if your budget can swing it (earrings are useful sparkly things that don't cost a mint).

 

[JBaldwin]

I'm with Calgirl. Buy her the knives, but go invest in a reasonably priced pair of ear rings that she would like. I'm a tough cookie, I like functional gifts. In fact, I would be happy if my husband bought me some more ammo for my handgun. However, I still love the gesture of a ear rings or a necklace. And this is a good time to find good quality jewelry for reasonable prices.

 

[he beholds]

Since one of the very first threads that I read here a few years ago was, "Is Ben a jerk for not paying for his kids' college education, even though he could afford to save if he wanted to?" I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that you can afford to buy knives AND jewels.

I love practical gifts. In fact, I think last year I voted you weren't a clod (though I think I did vote you were a jerk the time before...) But knives? That's not me-practical. Knives aren't something that will really make my life all that much easier, nor help me do something that I like to do, but better. Knives totally say to me, "A man picked this." As opposed to getting a really sweet, expensive mixer or something. That says to me, "My husband knows that my old mixer is fine and saw no reason for buying this, except that he wanted to buy me something that I'd never splurge on." If I needed knives, I'd have no problem buying knives. A really cool, extra-gadgety mixer I'd never allow myself to buy. So I think there are levels of practical. Knives may be on your wife's level. But since I think that is so not a fun-practical gift, I'd say, throw in the jewels, as well!

 

[Jen]

I like my husband's working of gifts: something he (I) want(s) but would feel too guilty to buy for himself. Given both our tendencies for loving kitchen things, this sort of thing could apply to a really nice set of knives. We both made up wishlists for our respective family members (who never know which books we want, etc.), but we also both deviated from said wish list for each other's gifts (and then had to send our gift ideas to my mum to make sure that we weren't getting each other the same thing, which is a real danger for us).

Following his rule of gift giving, he's seriously won. Last year he got me the piano sheet music for the Final Fantasy 8 soundtrack - by far the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever gotten me. Ever. Though as a wedding gift to me, he got a little Swarovski figurine for my collection. He gave it to me apologetically explaining that he hadn't really had time to put much thought to it. What he (still) doesn't know is that even the thought of that little tortoise nearly reduces me to tears–the only one who's ever given me Swarovski stuff has been my mum, and to have my husband give me one for our wedding day was just highly symbolic to me and meant (and still means) ever so much.

This is a rambly, round-about way of saying, "I dunno. It depends on one's wife." But there's definitely a lot of room for totally non-functional and highly sentimental, and I don't think that in the giving of gifts that should be discounted too quickly.

 

[SolaScriptura]

Did you mean to post this in a public forum, by the way?

Sure. My wife isn't on the PB....

---------- Post added at 06:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:23 AM ----------

Ben, why not swing for the fence and get her a push reel mower?

Because in my house the lawnwork is clearly defined as man's work. Please note: I define a "clod" very differently from a "jerk."

---------- Post added at 06:31 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:25 AM ----------

Since one of the very first threads that I read here a few years ago was, "Is Ben a jerk for not paying for his kids' college education, even though he could afford to save if he wanted to?" I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that you can afford to buy knives AND jewels.

Well, not when you consider the priciness of the awesome blades I'm getting my wife, the cost of 5 kids' presents, extended family's stuff, 3 mini-vacations over the next two weeks, and my recent aquisition of a super cool MacBook Pro.

But knives? That's not me-practical. Knives aren't something that will really make my life all that much easier, nor help me do something that I like to do, but better.

You mean to say that you don't do any cutting in your kitchen? Spoken like someone whose been blissfully using low quality knives all her life. If you think Iron Chef America grade knives won't make your life in the kitchen easier, then you simply must not have ever used great knives. They DO make a difference... (And fortunately, my wife is aware of this.)

 

[seajayrice]

Ben, might I presume you have already purchased these blades? How will you keep the edges?

 

[SolaScriptura]

Ben, might I presume you have already purchased these blades? How will you keep the edges?

She can hone them herself, but once a year we'll have them professionally done.

 

[seajayrice]

I'd suggest this tool to go with the set. :: Spyderco Product Details ::

 

[BJClark]

You mean to say that you don't do any cutting in your kitchen? Spoken like someone whose been blissfully using low quality knives all her life. If you think Iron Chef America grade knives won't make your life in the kitchen easier, then you simply must not have ever used great knives. They DO make a difference... (And fortunately, my wife is aware of this.)

Knives like that are something my husband would enjoy getting as a gift....me, not so much...

So are you clod? No, I suspect, you will probably buy your wife Both, because you love and cherish her...even if the knives are the more expensive of the two gifts...

Many people don't take 'hints' very well, and that you can hear when she 'hints' at something she wants is a good thing...I can take hints..but personally, I don't LIKE Hints..don't hem haw around about it---just be honest and tell me..

 

[JennyG]

If she was needing knives, you should have bought them straight away and not made her wait for Christmas,! which does look a bit cheapskate.
Anyway you can get very pretty jewelry that doesn't cost a fortune. I suggest you get a lady to help you choose. And get lots.

 

[Skyler]

Give her the knives and a card with 1 Timothy 2:9 printed on it.

 

[puritanpilgrim]

(p.s. I did buy my wife a rolling pin for one birthday.....please, don't do that).

I would be in trouble for that one.

 

[TexanRose]

I happen to like functional gifts (if someone bought me a functioning dishwasher, I would be THRILLED, especially if I got to pick the make/model) and I do understand the value of a good knife, though I don't like the big sets of knives, because all you really need is one really good chef's knife. That said, if someone is specifically hinting that they would like one thing and you instead get them another....hmmm.

 

[nicnap]

Well, thankfully I already had really high quality blades when my wife and I got married. So, I know their value in the kitchen. Ben, you are not a clod for getting those blades. What you should do, is surprise her with the jewelry. Wait a few months, and pop out a necklace or ring ... no reason, just to give it to her. THAT would make you not only not a clod, but would put you into the brilliant category.

 

[SolaScriptura]

What you should do, is surprise her with the jewelry. Wait a few months, and pop out a necklace or ring ...

Well, half the year is very expensive for me - but ripe with opportunities to lavish various gifts upon my wife - because I've got Christmas in December, our Anniversary in January, Valentine's Day in February, and her birthday in March... a month off in April, and then Mother's Day in May.

So I'm sure I'll work jewelry into the picture - probably for our Anniversary.

 

[SolaScriptura]

I like the fact that most of you don't think I'm a clod.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

I like the fact that most of you don't think I'm a clod.

(Mat 7:13) Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

(Mat 7:14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Majority thought is not necessarily the way to go Ben. You might be headed toward destruction if you get her knives only. LOL

 

[Tripel]

Maybe you are a clod (whatever that is), but I don't think your gift-giving is a problem. Keep it up.