Sunday, February 15, 2009

Flowers or Jewelry: Wish It Was as Easy as Tossing a Coin?

By Art Barron

In any given year, there are many dates and occasions to give gifts, but nothing compares to the romantic thrill that everyone feels during Valentine's Day. On this special day, couples find excuses to give something to their significant other. And what's the usual dilemma? Why, it's whether to get jewelry, or flowers, of course.

Below are some factors to consider when deciding whether it's blooms or charms:

Can your wallet handle it? Let's face it: money is truly hard to come by these days, but even the most extravagant, over-the-top bouquet carries a smaller price tag than a piece of quality jewelry. If you're just a little strapped for cash at the moment, then flowers are your better bet.

With so many days in you calendar marked for more special occasions like your partner's birthday or your anniversary, or that day when you decide to propose or be proposed to, jewelry will be the more appropriate memento for the event. But to keep the romantic feeling in the air, but still have extra budget for that special dinner or that bottle of wine later, best to give flowers for Valentine's Day.

Worth the price. Jewelry would outlast flowers in duration, no doubt about that. Flowers are beautiful, but they remain for only a week or less. They simply wilt and are thrown away.

Jewelry, on the other hand, lasts long and is a good investment. Your girl can even show it off anytime, anywhere.

The stage of your relationship. The gifting of jewelry suggests intimacy, both physical and emotional. After all, you'd hardly spend a lot of money on someone not significant to you. If you and your partner are still dating or exploring a friendship, flowers may be more appropriate. You do not want to send the wrong message and preempt a potential match. You might also want to steer clear of negative connotations of entitlement that comes with an expensive present.

On the other hand, significant milestones in a relationship can be symbolized by jewelry, the same way an engagement is almost always accompanied by a ring. Celebrating an anniversary, for example, can be enriched by jewelry. To illustrate, some jewelry setters sell 'journey chains': pendants designed in such a way that you can add a link or gem to it every time an anniversary or special event is celebrated. The length of the chain then becomes a symbol of your relationship's longevity.

Your expertise. You can also refer to how much you know about each of these options when deciding what to get your girl. If you don't know enough about jewelry and you are reasonably scared that you'd make a costly mistake, then go for the flowers. If you don't know a lot about flowers but are an expert on jewelry, then perhaps you should go with what you are good at.

If you know nothing about jewelry and you don't want to purchase something you're not sure is worth your money, then flowers it is. However, if you're reasonably sure about your purchase, by all means, head to the nearest jewelry store.

On the other hand, some people are born naturalist; they prefer living things than man-made objects. If your girlfriend is a nature-lover who couldn't care less about the difference between a diamond and cubic zirconium, then flowers are what she would likely appreciate more. This is also true if she has an introspective and poetic nature. - 15683

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