News You Can Use

It's holiday season. Time for gift giving. Given the current economic circumstances some of you might be running a little low on cash and are wondering how you are still going to make this a good holiday.

So I thought I would share a story and then make a few suggestions:

The Story One year after we got married Eric and I got stretched a little thin cash wise so we promised not to buy each other anything for Christmas. So what I did was make coupons.

I took index cards and thought about all of the stuff he liked to do. And made him a coupon for it: Examples:

The bearer of this coupon is entitled to one lingerie show. What we do afterwards is up to you!

The bearer of this coupon gets to smoke his cigar in the house during the football game of his choise.

You get the idea. There were others. I'll call them "love coupons." I won't share their content but let's just say they were his favorite.

The ideas:

For the guys: You could prepare coupons for things like:

1. Going to a chick flick with her.

2.Making dinner for a week

3.Watching Lifetime Network with her and then be willing to talk about it with her afterwards (fellas, you can put a time limit on this last part if you need to)

4. Taking her dancing.

For the ladies:

1. Love coupons: (just remember you might want to have black out dates on that).

2. A night of quiet. No yapping, talking, requests or nagging of any kind. (My husband would love this one but I'm not quite that generous.)

3. He can have his freinds over for the game. You'll make the food and you'll let them get as loud as they want.

4.Go to a smash and crash movie with him .

Of course, these are all based on gender stereotypes (which happen to hold true in my house). The point here however is to give them something of you that normally you two go back and forth over. You know your spouse. What would they really like you to do for them that you probably don't but could? What would bring him/her joy? What will bring you closer?

Note: None of the coupons have any value if you do not do redeem them with a happy heart. If you are going to be cranky and resentful when you do it don't bother.

Likewise the 'Love Coupons' can be tricky. Both parties must be in the right frame of mind for redemption. At no time does anyone (male or female) have the right to demand intimacy. But if you make them funny and light hearted and you and you spouse are in a good place it could be fun. It was for me and my hubby. Anyway be creative. They can be part of that effort I am always talking about that a good marriage requires.

I'm telling you, people, it's the little things!

BYTHE WAY - IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY GOOD IDEAS FOR COUPONS YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH ME (AND PLEASE - PEOPLE KEEP IT CLEAN!!!) SHARE.

Happy Holidays.