Gift code (was Main List's: Why Ron Loves Hermione)

[Cindy C.]

Hi,

Przemyslaw wrote:

>It appears, that some gifts are meaning something more than the
>others --  in this case book means friendship, perfume means romantic
>feelings.
> Is there really is some gift-giving-code in our cultures?

I think there is.  In fact, you can err in a variety of ways in the U.S.

There's giving an intimate gift in a non-intimate relationship.  For
instance, one doesn't give one's secretary intimate undergarments.

Then there's giving a non-intimate gift in an intimate relationship. 
Like the husband who gives his wife a vacuum cleaner for her birthday.
 For some reason, it is OK for the wife to give the husband power
tools.  Double standard, that.

Then there's the problem of giving a gift that is too expensive in a
fledgling romantic relationship -- say, the guy who gives his new
girlfriend a hideously expensive piece of jewelry.  If she accepts it,
he should *run.*  ;-D

Nah, the only time a guy should give a woman a ridiculously expensive
piece of jewelry is when he either got caught cheating on her with a
young woman in a hotel or perhaps raped a young woman in a hotel. 
Under those circumstances, no gift is too lavish.

Cindy -- who can't recall any gifts her husband has given her except
exercise clothing, but who knows there must be a whole lot more loot
than that