What Makes A Good Birthday Gift?

That is the question plaguing me this day.

This is the situation. A man's wife's birthday is coming up and he buys her scented candles. He gets her a card and buys a card for the kids to sign too. He takes her out to dinner and then gives her the gift and when asked if she likes them she says, "They're ok." She says this because she doesn't feel this is a gift a husband gives to a wife. Its not personal enough. :-/ She'd rather have gotten socks!

Now it may be just me (I'm not a married lady afterall) but I think the fact that he remembered, took me out, and actually bought me a gift is a feat that is much appreciated and would be greatly rewarded. Am I wrong here? Yeah it might not have been what you wanted but appreciate the effort.

Nowadays, its hard to find a man who has a job, takes care of his responsiblities, can put it on you something serious, and gives you a gift on your birthday, your anniversary, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, and Christmas. C'mon ladies, is it necessary to nitpick on the fact that the gift wasn't personal enough to your standards? Have we become that rigid that we can't appreciate the effort our men make for us when so many often don't?

But the most pressing question is, What qualifies as a good and personal gift that a husband should give a wife? I mean men give ther wives really nice, expensive gifts but don't pick them out. They send someone to the store with a charge card and say here's the limit get her something nice and they are just as surprised as their wife when she opens the gift. How personal is that? Wouldn't you rather get a gift where your husband went to the mall to decide whether or not you'd like the lavender scented one or the strawberries and cream? I mean that's love cuz what man likes to go to the mall or shopping period? Lol.

I don't get it. Since I'm one that doesn't expect to get anything on her birthday besides text messages and facebook posts (I cherish those by the way) if I received a gift, even if I didn't love it I'd never let the giver know it. Why? Because they cared enough to go out and spend money on me. Cuz they remembered and took out time in their day to acknowledge me. In as fast paced a world as we live in I don't take those things for granted.

After all, isn't it the thought behind the gift that really counts?

Life's too short to be ungrateful. (I realized I just sounded like my Grandmother. Lol.)

... to be continued.