Leap Year Valentine’s special

Melissa Chekwa

LADIES are we going to our quadrennial ladies’ conference? 

Finally the year has come. Most of us are restless thinking of where we are going to spend our Ladies Conference this year. It’s going to be a first. The preparations are driving most of us insane.

Fortunately for some, they already have ideas of where they will march to. In their travelling bags are sets of different bikinis, sunglasses, sun hats, reading material, sunscreens, flip-flops, power banks and so much more. In their purses is a huge budget for the cruise, beach games, margaritas they will be sipping at the coast of the Bahamas and all the fun things that they plan to do.

Since our counterparts have always been rubbing their conference on our faces, they seem to be quiet about it this time around. It doesn’t sound surprising though. For all we know they can’t leave for their conference since it’s a leap year. They are expecting something from us. They can’t afford to leave. Who will accept their gifts on their behalf if they go? But who will give them? Their Ladies? Are we not going to the Bahamas for the Ladies Conference?

Anyway, we are not stone hearted, we just might scrap aside our conference just for this cause. I mean, even though they went to their men’s conference, they made it back to us. We received all the teddies, chocolates, hampers and everything else.

Maybe we can do something special for them just to appreciate them. It’s a celebration of love after all. For three years in a row, we are used to being on the receiving end of all the February 14th gifts and love. We are not obligated to give back in those three years. We just receive and that’s it. Maybe that’s why this men’s conference started holding its meetings around Valentines’. There are some ladies who would like to give back just as much as they are receiving. There is nothing wrong with that.

This year the men are flexing their muscles and are waiting for us to show them what we can do. So ladies we also shouldn’t raise our hopes high because they can also just return the favour we have been giving them in those three years. They can also rather receive than give. Are we ready for that though? Thinking of the possibility of not receiving anything just fuels the need to continue preparing for that “conference” at the Bahamas.

We are not bad people, right ladies? We just love being spoilt. It’s naturally in our DNA. We get grumpy when we don’t get that satisfaction. So yes, it’s going to be a long one. But ladies, there is hope for us. I mean there are those guys that don’t want to be spoilt by their partners without them doing anything for them in return. I don’t know if it’s the masculinity in them, but whatever it is, let it go on. It’s working.

What do we get them though? You can’t present a teddy and a box of chocolates and expect a big thank you from him. They are quite handful and it is nerve wrecking. It’s at times like these that you would wish you came from Japan. I mean the women only pick anyone’s name, buy them sweets and that’s it. 

Legend has it that some time in the 13th at Scotland century Queen Mary set a law that allowed women to propose to their partners during the leap year. Men were only allowed to turn down the proposal if they were already engaged. If the male turned down the proposal, he was expected to buy the lady a silk dress or a pair of those fancy gloves that used to be worn to high class occasions.

Imagine living in that time. Either way you would win. Receiving either a fiancé or a dress/ gloves.

That aside, for some ladies that are not rushing to the conference, there are a few ideas that can work for you. You can try out some custom made gifts for him. That way he knows that it’s not a retail message for everyone but it’s a heart warm message that you had personally inscribed in whatever you decided to buy him. 

Whatever you buy, keeping it simple, sentimental and close to the heart is the best way to go. Give him back the feeling that he gives you when he gifts you in any other Valentines’ Day. Imagine every time that you would rather cuddle his teddy bear, sleep wearing his t-shirt and feel next to him when you spray that perfume. Give him back that feeling.

If you can’t give him that, don’t worry yourself much about it. Just join the rest to the Bahamas. I heard it’s a big ship. There is room.

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