&219(1,(17 My ideal Valentine’s gift

IT’S that time of the year once again where lovers get special attention from their lovers, in terms of gifts or big gestures on this special day, Valentine’s Day.

I think I have shared with you a couple of times over the years about the lack of gifts around about this time of the year. I last looked forward to this day back in high school, moving right along.

I once asked my once then Sipho why he refused to celebrate the global romantic day with me, in fact, I was only concerned with the fact that I knew they won’t be any surprise gifts delivered at work or roses, yet everyone knows how women feel about being spoiled with gifts.

So I asked him what happened to the spirit of celebrating the lover’s day. Because in all honesty I never understood why there was no text message of get ready we going out tonight, or pack for the weekend we going away or at least be asked which restaurant I preferred to dine at.

He told me that he does not believe in the day, in fact, that it was gimmick for florists to make a killing and other retailers as most guys spend on their women.

He said he’d rather focus on birthdays because even Mother’s Day wasn’t relevant because I was not his mother and we didn’t have children to begin with.

It didn’t help that I once told him that I would rather he buys me something to keep instead of flowers, especially because he used them when he was trying to get out of the dogs house.

My ideal Valentine’s Day gift would be a night way from the buzz, somewhere I would be surrounded by nature. Lots of water, as I love water, great food and of course great company. I saw a meme on social media asking that whoever took away 29 and 30 in the month of February might as well take 14. It seems the general consensus is some men would love to do away with this day because of the expectations that come with it.

Kwekucala nje, it’s mid-month right after the first pay check after the festive season. So the timing is not convenient for them, noma bangayibeka lemali, something always comes up and they end up using the money they saved for the gift.

Why they never buy it nabahola remains a mystery even to me. Some complain that even when they get their girlfriend, wives, baby mama gifts it’s still not enough as the expectation is something more expensive.

Some complain that even though they go out of their way to buy expensive gifts, they are put off by their partner who gifts them with socks, kani yena he spent ten times more.

Some are demotivated by the fact that despite expressing their expectation, they still get stuff they don’t like and it ends up collecting dust, mostly because some women don’t like spending a lot on them, kani bona they are expected to go all out.

Some have shared that this is the month they go silent on their relationships to avoid buying gifts for their partner especially because vele akukhulinyiswana that week, which I think is a cheap tactic, but what do I know.

Same as women, they complain that they are tired of the recycled gifts from last year, if it’s not the apron or dinner set or kitchen utensils, its a spa voucher, every year, like honestly kute lokunye that one can buy? In fact what’s romantic about kitchen utensils for Valentine’s Day if I may ask?

Again the trick is knowing your person, if you not sure ask her sister or her friend same goes for women. So what is your ideal Valentine’s Day gift?