The Wildcat's Den

I'm here watching Sunday Night Football and I know it's the Christmas buying season because of all the sappy jewelry commercials.  And a blog topic occurs to me.  No way am I going to let this opportunity slide.

So, I have a question - do diamonds really equate love?  I mean, I know commercials are marketing ploys just to get a product's name out there and if you have the most memorable commercial people will buy your product.  But honestly, I can't tell one jewelry commercial from the next.  They all stinking look the same: guy and girl cuddling all sweetly in a blizzard or in front of a warm fireplace.  Maybe she's a little clingier than usual.  Guy is the epitome of gentlemanly chivalry - the kind that no living male could hope to be (I'm letting you guys off the hook here, you can thank me later).  Using the powers of suave that would put James Bond to shame, he pulls out a black box that contains a diamond necklace or earrings or a ring.  Girl expresses surprise - never mind that this has been his Christmas present routine to her the last five-ten years.

I can understand the diamond ring deal if it's an engagement ring (I may be cynical about all this romance crap, but I'm still female and an engagement is a special tradition that even I can't overlook).  But I have a pair of earrings from Claire's that are pearl and cubic zirconium that I just love.  They look the same as any diamond that any boyfriend could give me, I'm sure.  I just don't get what the draw is for a guy to spend zillions of dollars on something that I probably won't wear very often because it's way too nice.

Sure, if you want to spend ten paychecks on something that just sits on my neck or finger or earlobes, I appreciate the gesture.  But I'd rather that money be spent on something fun.  Shoot, let's take the money and go to a football game together.

Besides, if all you give is nice jewelry, it gets boring.  Seriously, how much thought goes into a piece of jewelry?  That's the easy way out for a guy.  Throw your girl a curveball once in a while - have you ever seen "Beauty and the Beast?"  The Beast stresses about a nice present for Belle and he ends up giving her an entire library - something the bookish Belle can truly appreciate.  And the Beast gets to save the diamond for another day when he can't think of anything else.

And then I wonder - what's a nice gift that a girl can give to the special guy in her life?  The answer isn't quite as easy and it probably depends on what your guy's interests are.  She really has to know what he'd like and actually have to put some thought into what she's going to give him.  But it's kind of weird - he gives her a "Past, Present, Future" pendant and she gives him "Grand Theft Auto" for the PS3 (well, I guess each couple has their own tastes - maybe I just think it's weird).

Just my musings... these jewelry commercials are stinking boring.  And I've never been in any kind of relationship where a guy would feel compelled to buy me something nice, so maybe that's where the cynicism comes from.  Meh... take it for what it's worth.

(Man, I keep popping my neck and it feels good.  My neck has been giving me grief lately.  That would be a gift I could appreciate right now - someone to massage my neck and back.)