Okay men, let� �s face it. Your wife is expecting something more than a card and a good tumble in the hay. Sure they expect the uninhibited carnal-thing on your very special day but they� �d like to know that you thought with something a little further north too. In other words, yes, gifts are mandatory. It� �s your anniversary and there� �s no reason you can� �t plan ahead.

So, what do you buy on the big day? Well, first of all, that was a slip up. You buy before the big day. Remember that. All men out there say this together, � �I need to buy my wife� �s gift before our anniversary.� � See. It wasn� �t that hard.

The fact is, everyone has a very busy life. Everyone forgets the big occasions and the small things in life because we� �re so wrapped up in what� �s going on in our own worlds that we forget to do the things that are expected. And the unexpected? Forget about it!

It� �s okay, wives forgive but honey, let me just break the news to you as gently as I can. We never forget. If your wife tells you she does, well, she may not be telling it straight. My husband forgot our anniversary one time. One time. I� �ve never forgotten that he forgot our anniversary and he� �s slipped up on my birthday too. Guess what? I� �ve never let it pass from memory. Never.

Guys, it� �s very important to plan for these little occasions that your wife hails as great holidays and if you� �re a smart man, you� �re in tune with what your wife wants. You know her likes and dislikes. You know if she looks at red roses and thinks gee, honey, why not just bring weeds and daisies. I� �m a white and pink roses type-of-gal. I� �ve told my husband, � �Don� �t buy red roses.� � For some reason, I think of death when I see red roses and since I� �m a very superstitious person, I don� �t want them.

Gentlemen, if your wife likes roses, don� �t bring tulips! Listen to what she� �s telling you so when your anniversary arrives, you can revert back to memory and yes, get it right!

Personally, I like books. A lot of women read. My husband knows what to buy me because he knows who I read but the ultimate gift is still a Barnes and Noble gift card or the equivalent. Then, when time allows, I can go shop for the latest best seller or pick up a magazine. My better half, at least today, knows this!

Some women like jewelry. I went through that phase but I� �m out of it. I don� �t need ornaments hanging from my wrists and neck so I seldom find a reason to wear it but men, most women LOVE jewelry. Can you say diamonds? How about rubies? Try out sapphires? Just let it roll off your tongue. She� �ll love them all.

Finally, most women love having new shoes or a new outfit. If she� �s weight-conscious, don� �t go out and buy her a size forty dress when you know she� �s in a twenty-four. Better yet, get a gift card and let her go shop for herself. If your gal is a petite little lady, don� �t try to put her in a pantsuit that would look much better on your leggy secretary. She� �ll know what you were thinking. Do you want to argue the fact?

Remember, your anniversary comes around once a year. Take the time to pamper and spoil the one you love. Yes, it� �s your day too but remember, if you have a worthwhile gift for her, you� �ll reap the rewards. If you don� �t wrap up something nice, don� �t be surprised when she shows you the couch. You deserve to be there for the night!