Saturday February 14, 2009
Valentine’s Day gifts not just for the ladies
Stories by LIM CHIA YING and OH ING YEEN
Valentine’s Day gift suggestions for the ladies are easy to find, but just what can women give their male partners? Whether the gift is cologne, clothing or gadgets, StarMetro speaks to some women to find out what they have in store for their other-halves.
BUYING a gift for a guy for Valentine’s Day is not neccessarily an easy task, though for the girls who know their partners well enough, it’s not too difficult.
However, as the years go by, even the best shopper out there would be hard-pressed to add variety to the list of presents. Some say it doesn’t matter what the gift is, as long as it is from the heart.
All set: Anuradha wrapping up the long-sleeved grey shirt. Of course, gift exchanges are meant to express appreciation and undying love, so the gifts end up being tangible, and often practical, declarations of love. Customer service personnel Anuradha Jegathesan is celebrating her first Valentine’s Day with her boyfriend this year, making it special.
“I bought him a long-sleeved shirt from Guess, which I got at a pretty good price. The best part is that it is grey as that’s his favourite colour,” Jegathesan said.
The 25-year-old said she did not have a problem getting a gift for a guy.
“In my opinion, clothing is probably the best gift as your guy would wear it,” she said.
She has known her boyfriend Chad Lyonne, 30, for six months and they are planning to have a nice dinner and adjourn to a pub afterwards for drinks.
She said her boyfriend was a football fan but she wouldn’t get him a jersey any time soon, mainly because he’s a Liverpool fan while she was an Arsenal fan.
“When it comes to football, we do have one thing in common – a dislike for Manchester United,” Anuradha said.
Senior public relations executive Cynthia Tang, who has been with her boyfriend for nine years, said she would usually get him something that he liked.
“I’ve have given him a pen, an iPod, neckties and cufflinks in the past. The most expensive present I’ve bought was the iPod which cost more than RM1,000,” said Tang, 26.
Past gifts: Tang showing some of the stuff she has bought her boyfriend over the years. She said her boyfriend was into the finer things in life and she didn’t want to spoil the surprise by revealing what she had settled on this year, saying instead that it was more of a “sports package.”
“Gifts need not necessarily be expensive and sometime something personal or even a small gesture like cooking for him would be a perfect choice,” Tang added.
PR executive Beatrice Wang, who is currently single, had put her creativeness to good use when she presented handmade stuff to her ex-boyfriend.
“I would buy stuff and personalise it, like a wooden box which I decorated with pictures and filled with Hershey’s Kisses.
“Also, I once gave him custom-made cufflinks, as I didn’t want to have another 30 people in town wearing the same thing,” Wang, who is in her 20s, said.
This Valentine’s Day, Wang is heading back to Johor to be with her family to celebrate her grandmother’s birthday.
“Ultimately, Valentine’s Day is about the people you love, and it’s not just about couples,” she said.
Adhering to the principle that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, some girls opt for a gastronomical gift.
Graphic designer Vicky Yap, 23, will be making an English breakfast-style lunch for her boyfriend this Saturday. She will also be getting him an external hard drive as she remembered that he mentioned that he wanted one for his movie collection and gaming activities.
“While enjoying lunch, we’ll be drinking the Japanese flower tea he bought me for Christmas. At night, we’ll be having dinner at The Daily Grind at Bangsar Village, one of the restaurants we’ve listed down in our quest for the best burger in town,” she said.
Psychology student Foong Suet Ling, 22, remembered that her Valentine’s Day date enjoyed her homemade sandwiches.
“On Valentine’s Day, I will be baking him an apple crumble with a pinch of love to symbolise that he’s the apple of my eye. Plus, it’s more personalised if I make it myself.”
She described her relationship as still being in the courtship stage.
“I think that Valentine’s Day is the day we express our love for our loved ones but that doesn’t mean we cannot do that the other 364 days of the year.
Gadget crazy: Yap has decided to pick out a portable hard drive for her boyfriend. “Sometimes, I think its quite overrated, considering the over-priced set meals and Valentine’s Day-related things.”
Aside from the usual gifts, some have decided to go for the unconventional and more personal gifts.
A 21-year-old Utar student who only wanted to be known as Eileen said she would be giving her boyfriend underwear today.
“I decided on underwear as it’s a funny and an unvonventional gift. I just have to make sure I get the right size.
“We have nothing special planned for Valentine’s Day because we’re very cynical and not into the hype. I’m just going to hang out with him at his house the whole day.
“This year marks the seventh year we’ve been together,” she added.
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