One way to stop romance from messing up Valentine’s Day

My husband is nothing if not economical. He loves me because I appreciate the finer things in life — him — and because I accept the things I cannot change — his economy. We do share one economic perspective: gift giving to each other. We don’t.

In general, we have reached the stage in life in which we don’t buy many gifts for each other. If he wants something, he buys it for himself. If I want something, I buy it. If it’s a bigger ticket item than usual, we discuss it before making a purchase (or I hide the receipt and hope I am the one at home when the box is delivered).

As a holiday approaches, we typically share this exchange:

“What do you want for [insert holiday or occasion here]?” Steve will ask.

(“Aww… he was thinking of me and is willing to buy me a gift; that’s enough,” I think to myself.)

“Just your love,” I will answer. “I don’t need anything else.”

So as Valentine’s Day approached and we had had our usual exchange (see quotes above), I was surprised when Steve came home from Walmart (see sentence #1 above) boasting that he’d gotten me a Valentine’s Gift.

He handed me a ginormous heart-shaped box of chocolates.

“I thought you could take this to work and share it,” he suggested, his way of pleading with me not to eat the entire box in one day and then get mad at him for buying it (as has happened before, apparently).

“But make sure you bring the box home,” he continued, and this was where his typical “economy” (and sense of humor) came into play. “I bought it as a dual-purpose gift.

“Did you notice how cushioned the red velvet lid is?  I thought we could save the box for your coffin. You can rest your pretty little head on it.”

Though I warned him I would be blogging about this, he dared to add:

“I got the biggest box they had,” he said, intimating that it would take a big box to cushion my pretty not-so-little head.

Such a funny man. And so pragmatic in his economy that I might have to subscribe to his philosophy and insist he use the “pillow” first…

(It’s a good thing I consider my husband — and his sense of humor — some of the finer things in life.)

P.S. Getting the photo was quite challenging, having to breathe in all that chocolate goodness while trying for the perfect shot. I hope my pretty little head didn’t smash the chocolates.

P.P.S. If you’re looking for a way to remove the romantic element from your Valentine’s Day gift, see the post above. 🙂

P.P.P.S. What I really want is a new vacuum cleaner. Now that’s romantic!