Which takes us to a whole new area. Gifts for women. Men will never understand why women aren't happy when they get some electronic gadget for their birthday or Christmas gift. Men are ecstatic. I got a jigsaw for Christmas from Tanya and thought I had died and gone to heaven. If she gave me a slow cooker, same thing. Women, not so much. There is no use trying to understand, just don't do it. Unless they are the practical kind and actually ask for it because they need it anyhow and finances are tight.
After I left Grad School, we lived in northeastern Saskatchewan for three years. it was 100 miles to the nearest decent shopping and I made the trip once a week. Ella usually went with me but the kid(s) were young and she couldn't always. So one Saturday, I drove into Nipawin and among other things bought a garden wheelbarrow as we talked about needing one for around the yard. Half way home, it occurred to me that the next day was Mother's Day and I had no gift for Ella.
Able to resist anything but temptation and knowing exactly what I was doing, I proudly presented her with the wheelbarrow as her Mother's Day gift. She did NOT see the joke as funny and even on her deathbed I doubt she forgave me.
Jewelery is fine if it is real. Flowers, of course. Perfume if you actually KNOW what she wears. Real estate (but NOT potting soil). Holidays to exotic resorts. Gift certificates. These kinds of things. But certainly not anything useful.
