"First
Date Flowers" always feels like over-kill. I would feel like a real ass bringing flowers to her door when I hardly know her; especially because I minimize phone contact. Depending on the woman, flowers can send a message that you are desperately trying any "romance" tactic you have read about in a novel -- or worse yet, in an on-line "tip" e-mail group.
Instead I bring the "mini-bouquet."
Buy Montreal flowers -- you probably want to buy a couple of the $4 deals at the store. If she asks, it's risky to have to tell her you picked them from the neighbor's yard -- or near some weeds at the laundromat. Next, select about 5 various tiny ones and bunch them together. Tie them together with thin ribbon in a bow (it won't work without the ribbon). The whole thing should be no longer than 2 1/4 inches.
Keep them in your pocket.
When the time is right present them to her sincerely. Don't use them to fix the mood. Use them when you think the mood has peaked. If it is a dinner date, I often do this while we are waiting to be seated. (Many times women feel most "womanly" during this period because you are playing the male role of arranging dinner. She will wait passively and watch you handle confidently the situation -- watching you provide for her.)
Depending on your attire (coat pockets are the best -- but summer is hot), you will be trying to unload these babies before they get completely demolished in your pocket. Choose robust flowers -- check on their state periodically to determine their decay rate. Don't be afraid to just ditch them if the opportunity doesn't arise (which means the date is going sucky anyway), but even mangled flowers will do the trick.
It's the effort and surprise. There is something sexy about not giving them gifts right away in the evening -- providing them as though you are not in a hurry to unload them hints at an "endless supply of provisions occurring at regular intervals" -- (the female need -- something about caring for offspring -- but we'll leave that for another discussion).
She will be able to leave them out on the table to look at, without drawing embarrassing attention from strangers. Also, she will take them home in her purse, and reflect on them later (points while you're not even around).
I guess I don't recommend giving the whole bunch of flowers at the end of the evening. Once I strongly hinted at this while dropping her off, by mentioning the major flower bunch was in my trunk and needing water. She ignored the hint -- content with the mini-bouquet.
Instead put them up in your own house. Flowers are nice to look at; plus it spruces up any bachelor pad -- even if they are 6 months dead. Girls always ask who they were from -- depending on how much you are willing to spin the truth, I would say, "I bought them."
It's amazing how much thought someone will put into picking out the perfect present yet uses very little imagination on how to give it. In many ways, the presentation of a gift is just as important as the item itself. Imagine buying someone a gold ring and leaving it on the kitchen counter with a note that says "thought you might like this." Or contrast that with the gift of a ring hidden inside a rosebud that will "magically" appear as the rose blossoms
in the sunlight.
The next time you are giving a gift, consider presenting it in a creative or meaningful way.Even, when giving
flowers, think before, how to...
On one Saturday morning while my wife was sleeping in late I ran a string all through the house, beginning at the location where I hid her gift from Montreal florist. The string went through cabinets, under seat cushions, in the bathtub, behind the sofa and throughout all the rooms in the house. Had I been thinking ahead, I would have attached small gifts all along the string as a teaser for the big present at the end. After I ran the string through our home, I brought the other end of the string to my wife in bed and explained that I had bought a present for her and it was at the other end. I had never seen her get out of bed so quickly on a Saturday morning.
Another way in which I like to give presents to my wife is by having her find them. I will write about 7 or so clues which lead from one written clue to the next until the final clue leads to the hidden gift.
If you want to go all out on the "treasure hunt" theme, you can give your spouse a tape in the "Mission Impossible" style giving them their assignment to locate the missing gift. Depending on the time you have and equipment available, you can even include videotaped clues which definitely would add to the overall excitement of the quest.
There are dozens and dozens of ways in which you can transform the presentation of even an ordinary gift into a truly romantic occasion. Just "think" about it.
