Verbs For Valentine’s Day

February 9th, 2010 | Author: Greta

Early 20th century Valentine's Day card, showi...

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Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, behold the Valentine’s Day gift list, the most scandalous of gift lists because there is not a single item on it. That’s right. And, no, I’m not trying to be an arty minimalist. It’s just that, for one, I really lack a knowledge of good material things. I would provide you a link to Tiffany & Company, but I wouldn’t know where to direct you. In fact, my tastes were officially called in to question today, by a friend of a friend of an acquaintance, who upon hearing that I was taking my aunt to a Congratulations On Your New Job Lunch snidely asked me, “Are you taking her to Burger King?” While my car has been spotted in the drive-through more times than my future cardiologist might like to see, that doesn’t mean that I don’t know a good foie gras when I see one, another gift to my kind heart which deserves a good walk around the block today. The comment, however, is understandable given the fact that the mouth from whence it came resides in a veritable Buckingham Palace at the northern tip of our esteemed county. A 4,500 square foot palace that has a patch of yard the size of a dog run and looks shockingly like the tract estate twelve feet away from it, as well as the other fifty-four on the ordinary avenue. A palace that has no gate or guards to protect what is probably a vault of costume jewelry. Or at least a teak box from Pottery Barn. The almost rich are so tedious. And sometimes mean. But I digress.

So, I’m not exactly the best person to advise you on what perfect, hip, and practical item you need to get for your Valentine. I can tell you what works really well for me, beyond the usual ‘things’ like sweaters, roses, chocolate, and McDonald’s gift certificates. It’s verbs. I like verbs. That is, things that are done for me. Action presents. That is a great way to show love. Cash is cute, but so easy and painless, especially when it is lent to you by Citibank or is very easy for you to drop in the first place.

Today I was given an outstanding gift. If you read yesterday’s post, you know that I had a Broadway opening tonight in a northern California suburb. I was tired, stressed, and battling a twenty-four hour headache. My husband took on 100% of all parental duties to let me sleep in, take my aunt to lunch, and take a post-lunch nap. What a good day. He brought a sandwich to the theater for me, too. Of course, it was a Broadway opening, so I deserved at least that, but still. And then my mom watched our two-year-old so my husband and the big girls could see my show, before the New York Times reviews it. It’s a wonderful thing when someone does something for you. I felt very grateful.

So now, I’m looking for ways to gift my time for Valentine’s Day, not just by offering the ‘privilege’ of my presence at, say, a dinner, but some kind of gift of doing. Maybe I’ll make the time in the morning to do extra fancy hairdos for my daughters. Or finally sew their snowman duvet covers. Or bring my husband a cappuccino in bed. Maybe I’ll make him a tasty lunch for work, or offer to iron his clothes or his pillowcase for him. Ironed sheets define luxury. Perhaps I’ll need a conventional gift like some beer glasses or pink stuffed animals to fill in the gaps, but I’m going to commit myself to giving a gift that costs a bit of my sweat. I hope they’ll notice my odor.

If you have gift ideas to share, please leave your comments. THANK YOU!

We’re celebrating 14 Days of Love and Food! Check back tomorrow for another heart-shaped blog.

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