Shopping

I have to be open and honest about something I have to do, as do we all from time to time, going shopping. This is one thing that comes far down my lists of things I have to or want to do. To me, it seems like one of the necessary evils of life. Strange, because I really do enjoy cooking and baking bread and soup and all sorts of things. But the spices for a making a curry do not just appear in the kitchen they have to be shopped for. Yesterday I spent a fair bit of my time doing just that.

The older we get the fewer presents we have to buy and my family knowing that more than me do not like surprises talk openly about what we would like to receive. Last year my family persuaded me to have a years subscription of the Digital Concert of the Berlin Philharmoniker. So this year, after a year of sheer joy watching and listening to all of their concerts, it was simply a years renewal.

All of that said we do have family and friends we purchase gifts for and it takes a great deal of thought and consideration as to not just what they might like but what would they really appreciate?

So on the basis of my experience, yesterday here are some tips on making purchases for a member of the opposite sex.  As a male, I can only speak about purchasing for female loved ones. So here goes! 

Do not buy anything that plugs in. Anything that requires electricity is seen as utilitarian.

Do not buy clothing that involves sizes. The chances are one in seven thousand that you will get her size right, and your wife will be offended the other 6999 times. "Do I look like a size 16?" she'll say. Too small a size doesn't cut it either: "I haven't worn a size 8 in 20 years!"

Avoid all things useful. The new polish advertised to save hundreds of hours is not going to win you any brownie points.

Do not purchase anything that involves weight loss or self-improvement.  A six-month membership to a diet centre will be seen as a suggestion that's she is overweight.

Purchasing jewellery is fraught with danger. The jewellery your wife wants, you cannot afford, and the jewellery you can afford will seldom be what will be loved.

Finally, do not spend too much. "How do you think we're going to afford that?" she'll ask. But do not spend too little. She will not say anything, but she will think, "Is that all I'm worth?"

So to all going out shopping,  remember it is and can be a real minefield at this time of year. 

The art of giving and receiving is probably one of the hardest lessons of life to learn and after almost 75 years I have still much to learn.

Have a great time and a great day.