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- Apr 3, 2004
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ForteKitty|1302679009|2894796 said:daddy can get a gift when his penis squeezes out a baby.
ForteKitty|1302679009|2894796 said:daddy can get a gift when his penis squeezes out a baby.
somethingshiny|1302703742|2894911 said:I think it's inflation. My dad always gave my mom huge rose bouquets. Since that was 20-30+ years ago, I'd say a diamond pendant is today's equivalent.
I also think that today's man is more apt to understand how much his wife/gf actually has to give of herself in order for them to have a child. What would it take for a man to give up drinking, staying up late, concerts, carnival rides, junk food, 4-wheeling/snowmobiling, deli meat and good steaks? Add in random boob leakage and a big a$$ and I say that equals a nice new sparkly.
Jennifer W|1302675964|2894785 said:It's a very old tradition in the UK, dating back to the middle ages, as far as I know. I don't know about anywhere else.
It's also a great excuse for new jewellery, of course!![]()
Circe|1302704104|2894919 said:You know, threads like this are why I stay on PS. If it was just about the bling, dude, I get the Sotheby's auction catalogues, I get my fix. But threads about wearing big e-rings at work and the politics of upgrades and whether a failing economy affects public presentation? Count. Me. In. I think stuff like this says SO much about the narrative of women in contemporary culture.
As for what it says? I actually did a random Google of "push presents" a couple of weeks ago after seeing an acrimonious thread on a similar topic on another forum. It seems like there are three basic variants on responses.
1) The logical: this has been a tradition for generations that has only just acquired an obnoxious name.
2) What about the menz? In which our stalwart champions pursue justice and equality for all, despite the fact that childbirth, for a man, is sort of ... well, anatomically impossible. But it was really had to watch. Ergo, flat-screen! I kinda think this one grows out of the backlash to feminism and the vaguely wounded feelings some dudes have about the fact that after a lifetime of male privilege, they have to compete with female coworkers AND open the occasional door.
3) The consistent: the meme in which women, and usually American women, are grasping, greedy, materialistic, and wholly objectionable. They expect engagement rings! They have big weddings! McMansions! Shoe addictions! AND they want a reward for the most beautiful and selfless and natural act a woman can perform, that of bringing new life into the world! Heresy and abomination and obviously just what you can expect when you teach them all that fancy book-larnin'.
3A) Hallmark conspiracy. They've already talked society into Valentine's Day (actually, blame Chaucer); where will the madness end? Soon, women will expect presents for their daily bowel movement! Har, har, har.
Except for Numero Uno (which is rarely the popular choice), ugh.
Seriously, men and same-sex partners (from whom, I will note, I have never once heard a complaint): when the mother of your child has gone through the ordeal of birth, whether it be by squeezing something the size of a watermelon through an opening that's conservatively the size of a (small) lime or by having her torso sliced lengthwise like she's just had an encounter with Captain Hook, be nice to her. Bring her champagne and sushi and flowers in recovery, and if she's a 5-love-languages present person, buy a damned locket! If you know she'd prefer a day at a spa or a maid for a month or whatever, do that. Good gods, it's not rocket science.
Jennifer W|1302675964|2894785 said:It's a very old tradition in the UK, dating back to the middle ages, as far as I know. I don't know about anywhere else.
It's also a great excuse for new jewellery, of course!![]()
ForteKitty|1302679009|2894796 said:daddy can get a gift when his penis squeezes out a baby.
Jennifer W|1302713730|2895063 said:I studied Medieval history for a semester in my first year at university, and I have a distant memory of a lecturer talking about the gift a 12th century Scottish king presented to his wife as a token of his gratitude when she 'gave him a son.' It's in a museum somewhere, and he showed a slide with a photo of it. It was a jewel and pearl encrusted gold piece designed to hang from a belt or chain worn around the waist.
On that basis, I'm assuming that a gift of jewelry to mark the birth of a child is an old, old tradition. I've also seen it referred to in Georgian and Victorian literature. From the vagueness of my description above, you'll spot that I'm no historical scholar though - I could of course be mistaken.![]()
Anyway, if I got this right, my issue with this tradition is that no such gift was forthcoming on the birth of a daughter. I guess they don't call 'em the Dark Ages for nothing.![]()
Circe|1302704104|2894919 said:You know, threads like this are why I stay on PS. If it was just about the bling, dude, I get the Sotheby's auction catalogues, I get my fix. But threads about wearing big e-rings at work and the politics of upgrades and whether a failing economy affects public presentation? Count. Me. In. I think stuff like this says SO much about the narrative of women in contemporary culture.
As for what it says? I actually did a random Google of "push presents" a couple of weeks ago after seeing an acrimonious thread on a similar topic on another forum. It seems like there are three basic variants on responses.
1) The logical: this has been a tradition for generations that has only just acquired an obnoxious name.
2) What about the menz? In which our stalwart champions pursue justice and equality for all, despite the fact that childbirth, for a man, is sort of ... well, anatomically impossible. But it was really had to watch. Ergo, flat-screen! I kinda think this one grows out of the backlash to feminism and the vaguely wounded feelings some dudes have about the fact that after a lifetime of male privilege, they have to compete with female coworkers AND open the occasional door.
3) The consistent: the meme in which women, and usually American women, are grasping, greedy, materialistic, and wholly objectionable. They expect engagement rings! They have big weddings! McMansions! Shoe addictions! AND they want a reward for the most beautiful and selfless and natural act a woman can perform, that of bringing new life into the world! Heresy and abomination and obviously just what you can expect when you teach them all that fancy book-larnin'.
3A) Hallmark conspiracy. They've already talked society into Valentine's Day (actually, blame Chaucer); where will the madness end? Soon, women will expect presents for their daily bowel movement! Har, har, har.
Except for Numero Uno (which is rarely the popular choice), ugh.
Seriously, men and same-sex partners (from whom, I will note, I have never once heard a complaint): when the mother of your child has gone through the ordeal of birth, whether it be by squeezing something the size of a watermelon through an opening that's conservatively the size of a (small) lime or by having her torso sliced lengthwise like she's just had an encounter with Captain Hook, be nice to her. Bring her champagne and sushi and flowers in recovery, and if she's a 5-love-languages present person, buy a damned locket! If you know she'd prefer a day at a spa or a maid for a month or whatever, do that. Good gods, it's not rocket science.
Jennifer W|1302714833|2895078 said:Selkie, I love her too.![]()
MC, I'm afraid we don't have Scottish kings these days. We don't have jewels to wear on belt chains either, sadly, Gosh, it was a pretty thing. I also remember the Alfred Jewel, from the same history class. It was a lovely thing too.
Jennifer W|1302715485|2895090 said:There are strong views on either side of that debate, MC.![]()
LMAO!ForteKitty|1302679009|2894796 said:daddy can get a gift when his penis squeezes out a baby.
ForteKitty|1302679009|2894796 said:daddy can get a gift when his penis squeezes out a baby.