Love is in the air

It's not too late to start booking your Valentines' bouquets for your darlings. I know this for a fact because there were plenty of spaces left in the order book when I ordered a bunch of long-stemmed roses for myself. With 3 different florists.

I will be posting some gift suggestions over the coming weeks but in the meantime a fashion magazine (initials HB) has put out its own suggestions for the typical hetero HK couple. As a yardstick for love, it is flawless. Anything less and he's just not that into you! Anything more and he is probably hiding a nasty secret from you. Here are my picks from the HB list (they have also divided them into useful categories):

Dating less than one year
Burberry watch
Motorola Razr V3 - I once saw a bored HK couple sitting beside me for lunch. They did not speak to each other the entire meal. But towards the end of the meal he took her mobile phone and gently wiped it down. Only then did I know that he truly loved her.

Dating for about a year
Giuseppe Zanotti flats
Vaio VGN-T17GP laptop - high maintenance gals need their technology too! They wouldn't be caught online shopping in anything else.

Dating for about 2 years
Louis Vuitton watch
Celine logo bracelet
"Gimme gimme I want I want" continues to be the catchcry of the relationship.

Dating for about 3 years
Louis Vuitton wallet
Ralph Lauren earrings - I se a slight decrease in the monetary value of gifts at the 3 year mark. Perhaps his credit rating has taken a slight tumble in light of previous years' gifts.

Just married
Chanel pochette
Breitling watch (est HK$73,200)
Now this is more like it. It also implies that one needs to get married within 3 years. If you are still in dating mode, then game over you've been played!

First year of marriage
Valentino bracelet
Lanvin pearl necklace
The euphoric feeling is still strong. (Everything I buy) I buy it for you....

Second year of marriage
Links of London paperweight
Jorg Hyser fountain pen
Tacit resentment has crept into the marriage by this point. All gifts have taken a nosedive in luxury terms and are bought by luscious secretary with hidden agenda.