The Perfect Christmas Gift for Him!

Looking for the perfect gift!

It seems that it's so easy to shop for the female gender. Women and girls alike can never seem to have enough "accessories," and every retailer on the planet seems to offer something that ladies just can't live without!

Males, on the other hand, are almost impossible to shop for. We wear out our shoes searching the mall, or spend hours clicking through site after site, desperate in our quest for the "perfect" gifts for the men in our lives.

I believe that men are very basic creatures. Their clothes are simple, their speech is succinct, and even their meal choices can be quite predictable. This is at times puzzling to most women because we just couldn't exist without embellishing almost everything in our lives. A bachelor's apartment might be fitted out with a bed and a blanket, a few utensils, and even some basic food in the cupboards, but as soon as he gets married, suddenly there are flowers on the table, pictures on the walls, and a whole set of dishes, not to mention matching towels in the bathroom!

Hanging out the wash

If a man has some good jeans, a few nice shirts and a pile of T-shirts, his wardrobe (for him) is complete. If he has a comfortable chair to relax in and a hot meal waiting for him at the end of the day, he feels like a king. He doesn't care that much what type of chair he rests his weary bones in, nor does he notice whether or not his dinnerware came from Pottery Barn or IKEA. He usually knows exactly what he likes, and doesn't see any need whatsoever for change.

This is when there is a clash between the s*xes, especially at Christmas time. In a woman's flawed "creativity" can be found a misguided need to "change things up" through the act of gift-giving.

His favorite shirts

For the husband who refuses to wear anything but T-shirts (even to church), we offer a new suit with matching tie. And for the man who is a sports-enthusiast, we offer season tickets to the theater or opera instead of to the football game. We can always justify purchasing a work-out membership for a couch-potato, or a set of Bible CD's to a man who shows little or no interest in spiritual things.

But I'm proposing a different sort of attitude altogether. How about giving a man what he craves; unconditional love and acceptance. 

For the casual dresser, a stack of his favorite T's. For the man who enjoys watching sports, how about a pair of tickets to watch a local team (with the promise of watching and enjoying the game with him). What about a set of DVD's from an old western series and some popcorn, now that would be a great blessing for the man who just wants to sit down and watch John Wayne get the bad-guy (back when life seemed to make more sense), especially if you are willing to sit down with him and watch them, too. As for the man that seems to be averse to spiritual matters, how about putting on a quiet heart that prays and lives so that the Bible can be read in his wife's daily demeanor and actions--now that just might be the best gift for a man like that! 

A long day at the office

It all boils down to loving, accepting, and, yes, enjoying our men for exactly who they are; no posturing or pressuring. 

After all isn't this precisely what we hope they will do for us?

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13: 4-7)