The day after my Birthday last year, my husband gave me a vacuum cleaner. Yes, you read that right. What was more shocking to you? The fact that the gift was a vacuum cleaner or that it was given the day after my Birthday?

Really, I don’t know which is worse. Why give a gift late when I know you hid it in the shed a week before?  I say  it’s a guilty consience,  he is very wary of my reaction to this gift.  So he makes it even worse by delaying the inevitable.

Let’s talk about gifts that women want, not need. There’s a BIG difference.

Birthdays, Anniversaries, Mother’s Day are a time to celebrate who we are with each other.  They are not holidays to convey that we need to clean the house better!   Let’s talk about creative gift ideas for women.

How to push her happiness button.  What are her hobbies?  Her passions?

When you give gifts with these thoughts in mind, your pushing that happiness button.  The activities she enjoys doing is what makes her happy.  If I loved to vacuum, couln’t wait until Saturday just to suck up all the dust I could find in the house,  that gift would have been okay. Even thoughtful, sort of.

What could he have given me for my Birthday?

I love to garden.  Since my Birthday is in the summer it could have been an opportunity to give me a personalized garden stone with a message like “I Love My Garden” or “Welcome to my Garden”.  Even a small garden squirrel statue would be great because I enjoy watching the birds and the squirrels.  Or a small tree or flowering bush to plant in the yard to mark the occasion.  I think the tree idea is one of the most creative Anniversary gifts you can give to celebrate a 5-year, a 10-year or a 25th Anniversary.

I like the idea that something in nature grows as our relationship grows.  And it lasts a long time and stands there in the yard only to serve as a reminder of one outstanding, thoughtful gift.

With that said, there’s an ocean full of ideas for you.  Since every woman is unique, only you can figure this thing out.  Not every woman would love a tree or a bush.  Is she fasion-minded?  Okay, here’s one for you.  Take her to the mall or favorite boutique (goodwill?) and let her buy a new outfit.  As she tries on an outfit, let her get your feedback.  Make it a fun outing.  If money allows, take her out that night in her new outfit!

Does she love being on the computer?

Well, that’s an easy one.  The new Windows 7!  See finding creative gift ideas for women is really fun and easy, isn’t it?