Presents

[ladyofastolat]

Have any of the "hers" around here ever seen anything in the "For Her" section of a Christmas gift catalogue that they would actually want for Christmas? Am I totally out of synch with British womanhood in not longing for moisturiser or bubble bath or curling tongs? At least the men are allowed gadgets and toys, as well as aftershave. I saw one place that was advertising a gift of a magazine subscriptions, and the "for her" selection was entirely women's magazines, while the men were allowed computer games, films, cameras etc. Men are allowed to be interested in things and to do things. Women are only allowed to be interested in beauty and celebrity gossip. It is most annoying. Does it reflect reality, I wonder? I doubt it.

Though speaking of hims, a certain him I know has given me his Christmas list. It includes a full set of fourteenth century armour, an anvil (small), a halberd, a spear things, longsword wasters, and a gambeson. Aftershave would be easier to obtain.

Comments

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

It was my birthday at the weekend. My male friends bought me a replica sword.

However, in the case of the magazine subscriptions you mention, my suspecion is directed at which brands the actual publishing companies involved own. Women must buy a lot of sewing and craft, design, homes and gardens (and gardening) and wildlife/natural history/pet magazines, which you don't mention. Therefore I suspect it's down to the properties owned by the group in question.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

I don't mind the magazine people having a "women's" and "men's" categories, since quite a lot of magazines are overtly aimed at one sex or the other (FHM, or Cosmopolitan, for example) but I wish they wouldn't make assumptions about which sex is interested in magazines about specific hobbies and interests. All the movie magazines were classed as "men's", for example. I'd prefer it if they had "interests" category, as well as a "women's" category and a "men's" category .

What sort of sword was it, by the way?

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

It's a cavalry sabre. Fun rather than authentic, but heavy and with a very nice 'swish'. I was rather disappointed not to be stopped by the police on my way home.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

Ooh, nice! I prefer medieval myself, but any sword is cool.

My other half regularly carries rubber swords on the Isle of Wight ferry. They look surprisingly authentic from a distance, but are made to be completely safe when you thump people with them. He was almost refused admission to the ferry once. They ended up making him conceal them in a bin liner before they let him on. Because carrying a concealed weapon is so much better, of course...