Never Defend This

"A friend never defends a husband who gets his wife an electric skillet for her birthday." - Erma Bombeck, columnist

Erma Bombeck definitely hit the nail on the head with this one. Appliances are hardly ever on someone's wish list. So, unless you are specifically asked to buy an electric skillet or any other household item, it is best to stay away from the housewares department when shopping for birthday, anniversary, or other holiday gifts.

I remember one time in particular when I was dating someone and this issue came up in conversation. We went to visit his mother and we brought her a plant as a gift (I think it was her birthday) and we took her out to dinner. While we were at the restaurant, his mother told me about the time that he gave her a "George Foreman Grill" for Christmas. He tried to defend himself, but it didn't do much good. She proceeded to then tell me that the following year, again for Christmas, he got her a newer version of the same grill! I was laughing so hard I could hardly breathe. And of course my friend was mortified because there really was no defense for that. It made for great conversation during dinner, at least for his mother and me.

The moral of the story, my friends, is to stay away from housewares UNLESS you've been told specifically to get something from that department. It's much safer this way. It doesn't matter if you're a man or a woman, young or old, picking personal gift items that aren't appliances is always the best choice. :)