The BEST Valentine Gift!!

Did you buy your partner a gift for Valentines or are you planning some time together in, perhaps using some of Sallyann suggestions in her previous blog?

A couple of years ago I used to fret on “special days” over what gifts to buy for my husband and family. They already have SO many toys, books and gadgets. They really don’t need, or even WANT anything else and I realize I start buying gifts purely for the sake of it – and feel quite sickened at the waste of money. But how do you NOT give presents?

As Valentines day has been approaching I have been considering the same dilemma for my husband – do I buy him a naff present with hearts on it – just because I am expected to??

And then I stop to recall something that my wonderful, beautiful and clever cousin told me a few years ago. He said “Sarah – stop buying presents. Your family truly will never know or miss what they didn’t get. They already live privileged lives and more gifts are a little “coarse”.…Instead, why don’t you start creating experiences and memories?”

I asked what on earth he meant, and he explained “you know those moments from your childhood that you look back on and think – that was fun / that felt warm / that was a great day with my family / I remember when……… – well none of them involve a present – they just involve experiences – with people that you care about”.

Since our conversation I have tried really hard to create “experiences” to remember – some of them expensive, like holidays and adventure camps – some of them free, like geocaching in our area, dog walking in woods and ghost walks in our local town. Don’t get me wrong, although I am trying to create an “ideal” we rarely have “perfect” days, we aren’t the Brady Bunch – we still argue over who is going to pick up the dog poo or carry the torch in the woods – but overall we have a great time and definitely appreciate time spent together.

And so with Valentines day upon– Simon and I have agreed to defer Valentines until Thursday when we will both be at home together. We will take the dog out for a walk, leave the boys at home, perhaps pop to the pub for a quick drink and then return home for dinner – at the table – share a bottle of wine and turn off all “screens”.

Who needs a crappy bunch of garage forecourt flowers (Simon’s extent of horticultural gift!) when instead we can “stop the world” for just one evening and “find each other” again – just to recreate a connection that sometimes takes second priority within a crazy family.

P.S. Sallyann and I have decided to treat ourselves out to lunch today and are heading off to Wagamamas in Solihull 🙂 Just because I love my business partner!!

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