Last night, my beloved started asking strange questions.  "What's your favorite color?" was one of them.  Now, one would think that he would remember my favorite color from those early phone conversations that lasted into the wee hours of the morning.  Obviously, he was only PRETENDING to pay attention when I told him that my favorite color is blue, my favorite food is french fries and my favorite movie is the very obscure Lady Jane.  I think he was fishing for details in relation to my Christmas gift.  I hate it when he asks me what I like after he has already bought the gift, thus easily setting himself up for failure if I say the wrong thing.  However, there is a history.

It's true I would like anything the little angel gave me. For some reason, though, that rule doesn't apply to spouses, does it?  For instance, here is a list of all the things my beloved has given me that I didn't like:

• An electronic dartboard
• A soda holder for the fridge and new everyday plates
• A sweater that was too small
• Map-reading software that wouldn't go onto my Visor
• Handheld games (I'm a book person)

I don't know what he's worried about this year, though, because last year he hit the ball out of the park with a locket charm bracelet for the little angel's photo.  I LOVED it.  It was clearly my style, delicate, a piece of jewelry AND a piece of jewelry in white gold with a little diamond for the month she was born in, April.  Ah, coo. It such an amazing and well-researched, heartfelt gift that I still almost cry when I think about it (this happens to mommies a lot, I've found).  So I have NO idea why he is worrying this year. 

I'm not the best, though, either.  Usually I just buy him the same thing my friend S. buys for her 12-year-old son and do well.  The one year I got the too-small sweater was the year we set a $20 limit for each other.  I got him a 5-inch, black-and-white television set from Osco.  Neither gift was a hit.  We finally realized we either have to pony up or buy both of us something together, because we are way too hard to shop for.  We have discussed the idea of not buying each other anything - I know lots of couples who don't - but we actually both like exchanging gifts with each other more than anyone else.  It's a yearly challenge that we enjoy.  I have no idea if he will like his this year or not - I like it - but NOT KNOWING is kind of fun. There are really so few surprises during the year.