Cosmo said:
If a woman bought me flowers I'd consider her a good catch. And really I don't care for flowers much, but it's the sentiment behind it. If, however, she expects me to stop acting gentlemanly now and then that's, frankly, not going to happen. Courtesy and affectionate gestures on BOTH sides feels more right to me. I'm a little tired of the lopsidedness.
Like on valentine's day this year when I got her flowers, a hand-made card, chocolate bars, and a little necklace from Tiffany's. I got a thank you... and then later verbal abuse. I did the gentlemanly courtesy of not dumping her on valentine's day but by that time next week we we over already. I didn't do the things I did because I expected something in return, I just... hoped... I'd be considered worthwhile enough for some sort of gesture. Didn't happen. Hardly EVER has happened. Not even sure why I bother sometimes.
Well in regards to Valentine's day I often feel like buying gifts of any kind is kind of silly.
Not to say I don't like chocolate when it's super cheap (chocolate may be the quickest way to MY heart, at least,
![Stick out tongue :p :p](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
), but I see Valentine's day as not only a marketing opportunity for restaurants, choclatiers, jewelry stores, movie theatres, toyshops, amusement parks, and many other companies, but it's also WAY too much pressure than I care to deal with.
If a guy really liked me, he'd take the time to appreciate me year-round, not just on a single day. I wouldn't pressure him into making that one day special, because
every day should feel special being with him.
That doesn't mean to go out to lavish places or receive gifts all the time (in fact - the less, the better). Just being couch potatoes for a weekend and hanging around the house is more fun.
However, if he decided to go out of his way and get me a Valentine's Day gift, I'd be happy for it regardless of what it is. That, to me, is not chivalry, but it's loving and generous.
And on a side note - why can't women give gifts to their boyfriends on V-day as well? Why is it only concentrated on what the girls receive (I already know why, but still...)?
Women generally get much more expensive gifts than men on their birthdays and on Christmas/Chanukkah/etc., etc. and while some also believe it's unimportant, MANY feel underappreciated if their gift is less than $200.
I don't think gift-giving (even flowers) falls under chivalry or even something that a man should take care to do at all. That kind of thing is something that comes from your heart and should only happen when you feel you'd like to purchase that person a gift.
I wouldn't judge a man's character based upon whether I get a flower boquet before a date (well, I may think getting one a bit cheesy, which can be cute or annoying depending on whether or not he's actually a good guy or a bullshitter).