My Christmas proposal idea

[subpopculture]

I just made the leap into an e-ring purchase, and now I''m off to the races to get a proposal plan lined up before Christmas. I''ve posted about this previously, so for backfill, here are my two original posts:

Date: 9/16/2007 3:13:55 AM
Author:subpopculture

I''m sure this has been asked a million times, but since I''m new, I''ll ask again. I''ve been reading up on diamonds on this site, and have found it to be an excellent resource. I''m hoping to be able to propose to my special lady some time before the end of this year, and Christmas strikes me as the perfect time. We both love the wintertime, and so I want to do something that''s special for both of us.

I am very focused on symbolism and introspection; things for me are very personal and intimate. I don''t like flashiness or anything trendy. I am in fact, turned off by whatever is considered trendy or popular. So my requirement is it has to be unique.

My lady, on the other hand, is very traditional. She likes the status quo, and tends to lean towards wanting a traditional proposal. She still wants it to be special and personal, but in our discussions about her ideal proposal, it seems very "usual" to me.

I need to somehow merge these two perspectives into something that''s meaningful to both of us. I think she''d be happy with the typical "puppy in a box with a ring on its collar" idea (we''re considering getting a dog anyway, so no worries of animal neglect, etc please), but I find that too cliche an idea. I''ve been wracking my brain for months, trying to come up with a great idea (I missed the perfect opportunity to propose this past summer during our vacation to Martha''s Vineyard(!) due to financial issues (namely lack thereof)), so it seems like the next good opportunity is Christmas.

Does anyone have any ideas that might help mix our two seemingly different opinions?

Date: 9/27/2007 12:37:30 AM
Author:subpopculture

Yea, it would''ve made sense for me to list that stuff huh. So we live in sunny-in-December California. I have access to snow up in Tahoe, but its not readily available. We''re homey people, but we like spending time outdoors, doing comfy camping. No hard core backpacking or anything though. She''s a teacher, so she''s pretty fixed on her students a lot. We''ll be spending time with family during the holidays, but I''m hoping to get some "just the two of us" time too. We just bought a house together (most expensive ring ever!), so its a great excuse to have our first Christmas home together. We have a kitten, so I was thinking I could do something with him. Maybe tie the ring to his collar or something and have him wake her up in the morning.

My idea just came to me, and I thought I''d run it by the crowd. Every year at Christmas (for the past 3 or 4 years), I''ve bought my special someone a Swarovski crystal ornament. It''s been regular enough for her to come to expect it. This year, I think I''m going to buy an ornament, but replace it with the ring. Then on Christmas eve, I''ll get her to open this one early so we can "put it on the tree". Unless she''s reading this forum (which I don''t think she does), I doubt she''d expect that.

 

[Erin]

I think it''s a great plan. Turning the expected into the unexpected. Which in turn can be used as a yearly ritual.
My biggest concern?
Open it before you start going to parties, get-togethers, family events - so that she (you both) can celebrate with everyone who cares for her. THAT would be the best gift of all.

 

[subpopculture]

Date: 12/12/2007 5:35:45 PM
Author: Starset Princess
I think it''s a great plan. Turning the expected into the unexpected. Which in turn can be used as a yearly ritual.

My biggest concern?

Open it before you start going to parties, get-togethers, family events - so that she (you both) can celebrate with everyone who cares for her. THAT would be the best gift of all.

Yea, we usually go visit family on Christmas day, so I intend on having this happen before the family events.

 

[Diamond*Dana]

That is a great idea!

This reminded me of a couple years ago, my BIL bought my sister a crystal bell for Christmas. She opened it up and was like "Oh wow, this is pretty"...she was ringing the bell and then finally noticed that the "ringer" was an anniversary band. It was really cute how he put it all together.

 

[door knob solitaire]

Yeah...I think your idea is great! Something you both enjoy...and will remember.

But I do like the sneaky suggestion of Diamond *Dana where you give her an ornament...as a keepsake to remember and somewhere somehow the ring is a part of the ornament or attached to it. That way, year after year that ornament becomes a treasure among the rest.

If you know for sure she doesn''t read this...what ornament were your thinking to get...or which had you gotten previously? Is there a theme to the collection? Or just random?

I think the thing I like best about your plan is it has the surprise element, but the element of familiarity is also just right. Tradition. Next year...you better make it a solitaire necklace...or maybe a bracelet. She is going to expect it, you know? §

 

[subpopculture]

Date: 12/12/2007 11:30:57 PM
Author: door knob solitaire
Yeah...I think your idea is great! Something you both enjoy...and will remember.


But I do like the sneaky suggestion of Diamond *Dana where you give her an ornament...as a keepsake to remember and somewhere somehow the ring is a part of the ornament or attached to it. That way, year after year that ornament becomes a treasure among the rest.


If you know for sure she doesn''t read this...what ornament were your thinking to get...or which had you gotten previously? Is there a theme to the collection? Or just random?


I think the thing I like best about your plan is it has the surprise element, but the element of familiarity is also just right. Tradition. Next year...you better make it a solitaire necklace...or maybe a bracelet. She is going to expect it, you know? §

Well, the last few years I''ve picked out a Swarovski snowflake ornament, and this year I''ll get the 2007 edition snowflake (even though I don''t think it''s super pretty). I''m planning on just swapping out the ornament with the ring, so she thinks she''s opening "this year''s ornament"; then BOOM, surprise!

Alternatively, I could probably sneak the ring onto the tree as an additional ornament, and then start dropping hints. A platinum ring would look really nice hanging from a deep green bough of pine on a silver chain...