Romantic Gifts for Girlfriends

Buying romantic gifts for girlfriends is something you HAVE to do once in awhile in this consumer culture we're living in.

You hate it, you don't want to do it and hell...admit it....you don't know how to do it!

There's a couple of good reasons to get mushy and I'll get to them, but first I want to rant and rave about why some of us buy into the notion to expect a big time romantic production on demand at certain times of the year.

For you guys who hate shopping for romantic gifts ... I'm on your side on this issue. Not because I don't think your lady friend isn't deserving of a romantic gesture now and then.  But because I'm old enough to remember that it wasn't always this way.

I remember when ... don't roll your eyes...I'm taking a run at eighty and I get to say stuff like this. 

Anyway, I remember a time when advertising wasn't a damned profession. 

Sure, stores put ads in newspapers and announcements were made on the radio, but kids didn't sit down with a high school guidance counselor to consider whether or not a career in advertising was what they wanted to do with their life.

Do you remember the saying about it not mattering how many locks you put on your door because if a thief wants to break into your house he'll find a way?

Same With the Ad Men

You can't defend yourself when corporate America REALLY wants to get into your wallet. That's why you feel frantic every February. There wasn't anything else happening at that time of the year except snow shoveling and seed catalogues and retailers needed a boost in sales.

Enter the huge push to promote Valentines Day and romantic gifts for your girlfriends. Same nonsense with St. Patrick's Day and Halloween but at least you aren't expected to get excited and it's easy to opt out.

There's one excellent reason to buy a romantic gift, but if you don't know what it is, then something else is happening.   Your playing a game. 

Are you OK with that or not?

That's the question isn't it? 

With some women you definitely run the risk of destroying the relationship if you don't buy into the gift giving romantic fantasy.  It's not a problem if you actually like and believe in the exchanging of ritualized notions of romance.  Perfect, as a matter of fact.  There's no loss of integrity.

But if you're only going along with the romantically focused gift exchange because you don't want to rock the boat, you have to ask yourself how long you want to go on pretending that this gal's for you?

There are lots of women out there who are looking for someone authentic...desperate to find you as a matter of fact. 

Whats a guy to do? 

Talk it over with her, of course.   But that's your call. 

Mine is to give advice and suggestions on gift buying.  So here I go ... because, despite my rant, there are two good reasons to buy romantic gifts for girlfriends.

Note to reader:

I just started building the website and not all links are live.  I'm working on it as you read this.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

Links to Other Stuff You and Your Buddies Should Know

If you want some general advice on buying gifts for girlfriends start here.

Buying gifts when the relationship is new.

Buying gifts when the relationship is warming up

Buying gifts when the relationship is long term.

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