The Perfect Gift

We all love receiving gifts and presents, invariably being the recipient can be a wonderful experience, conversely it can be a horribly awkward time, depending on what is given.

If you were all loved up yesterday I hope the ridiculously over priced food, flowers or chocolate was a good investment. If you are single, I hope you were feeling appropriately smug at the thought of saving your cash or spending it on yourself. Did you have a less traditional gift from your other half? Maybe in the past it was such a gift that proved the catalyst to end the relationship. Now I can smugly say I received the best Valentine's gift ever from my wife yesterday.

Many relationship experts say that an appropriate gift, tailored to your loved one's personality and pleasure is often likely to make a greater impact than more traditional gifts of love. I concur. The extraordinary gift I received from my wife is proof that research in this instance is spot on. I opened my card yesterday to discover that through meticulous planning, some emails, a couple of phone calls and a great deal of generosity from my dear colleague Pete Waterman I had been gifted a footplate ride on one of Pete's wonderful steam trains! A day riding a steam train through the countryside couldn't be a better way for Claire to demonstrate her love for me, especially as she'll have to spend the day alone at the shops entertaining herself...really so thoughtful and considerate.

Date: 15/02/2012