Help your husband with his special occasion needs. Mark his calendar with birthdays, anniversaries, and any special days that he likes to celebrate (you could even slip in a few fun holidays like "kiss your wife day" or "national go to the movies day"). You can also mark your calendar and then several days before each occasion ask him what you can do to help - buy cards or gifts, mail packages, etc.
Be generous! Lori <><
A friend of mine and her hubby started a tradition a few years back when funds were tight. They exchanged love letters in the place of gifts. They were so blessed by the practice that they continue to do so each year even when there is money for additional gifts. Why not start such a tradition in your marriage?
Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas. Dale Evans
Be generous! Lori <><
The "Twelve Days of Christmas" are the twelve days between Christmas Day and Epiphany. In the past, these days were celebrated by gift giving. Many people enjoy reviving this tradition by giving gifts for twelve days either following Christmas Day (traditionally December 25th through January 5th) or leading up to Christmas Day (non-traditional December 14th through 25th). A creative twist is giving one gift on the first day, two on the second, three on the third, and so forth. Here are a few ideas for creating your own "Twelve Days of Christmas" fun.
Day 1 - something unique and individual - a Christmas ornament, a collectible, a nice wallet, or a framed photo.
Day 2 - anything that comes in pairs - mittens, socks, bookends, cuff links, or tickets to an event.
Day 3-6 - small gift sets, different kinds of mustards, chocolates in a sampler box, a few fishing lures, gardening tools, film for his camer, sticky not pads (there are some fun shapes and colors), or balloons.
Days 5-12 - This gets more challenging as the number goes up. Look for things that are packaged in multiples and consider the small items that your husband uses frequently. Wander through his favorite stores and look for lots of little things.
Some ideas: batteries, burnable DC's, his favorite candies, markers, postage stamps (especially if he is a collector), coupons good for servies, book plates, small tool kit with (however many) tools, cookies, or office supplies.
I love the Christmas-tide, and yet,
I notice this, each year I live;
I always like the gifts I get,
But how I love the gifts I give! Carolyn Wells
Be generous! Lori <><
Think about giving your husband a "private" Christmas stocking. Fill it with fun bedroom items like flavored lubricants, fun undies (for you to model), massage oil, a good book on married sexuality, a love note, chocolate, a scented candle, lotion, etc.
You might want to check out Book22.com for ideas (this is a Christian site with no nudity). There are also sections in most discount stores (WalMart, Target, etc.) or pharmacy type stores where you can find bedroom items or those little gifts that will pamper him. Keep an eye out as you shop during this season, buying one item here and another there. By Christmas you should have a stocking full!
Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen. Author Unknown
Blessings, Lori <><
Last week I wrote about board games. There are actually board games for the bedroom (thanks, Jessica, for reminding me of that). I am familiar with Bliss (which is actually a board game you play on your computer). It's nice because you are able to choose settings that make the game work within your comfort zone. A search of "romantic games" online gave me a number of sites that seemed relatively decent (be aware that searching with terms like "sexual will get you more graphic games and sites).
The other option is to create your own board game. Grab some poster board and a couple of markers. Decide what kind of options you want and have a little fun. You can use dice or create cards to help you move around the board. If you run into a creative block, think of the games you enjoy and use that basic form for your game, just change out the result of different moves with bedroom activities (you could even use an existing board and make changes to the board with sticky notes).
Love is a game that two can play and both win. Eva Gabor
Be generous (and creative)! Lori <><
Write out the letters A-Z on a piece of paper and then assign each letter a number, symbol or different letter. Use this "secret code" to write your husband a sexy note. Hand him the mysteriously coded note (with a mysterious smile, of course) and give him a clue as to where the decoding sheet can be found (brief case, under his pillow, to be delivered in the mail the next day, etc.).
Cf hfofspvt! Mpsj <><
(hint: my code is just to use the next letter of the alphabet ~ B becomes C, e becomes f, etc. To break the code, just move each letter back one.)
I'd like to talk about sexual creativity. A simple thought ... being creative doesn't mean that you have to pull your ideas from porn sources or that all things creative have their source in porn. I know most of you know that, but it's a common idea that gets bounced around and I thought I'd just bounce it right out the door. 
God is a creative God and we are made in His image. We are creative too! We can come up with creative ideas ourselves or learn from sources that are godly and reasonably discreet.
Let's talk a bit about what can be varied during sex.
* what you wear - this would include clothes, make up, jewelry, accessories, etc. Have you even considered making love wearing a unique necklace or wearing an article of clothing that your husband particularly likes?
* think ambiance - lighting, music, nice odors (candles, perfume), etc. can add a thoughtful and creative touch.
* what you do - foreplay and any sexual act can be varied by what you do, how you do it and how much you do it. Take more time to kiss or kiss your husband all over. How do you touch your husband? How about touching him in a different place or in a different way? See all parts of his body as something to pleasure.
* where you get intimate - any place where there is privacy and a reasonable amount of comfort. A living room chair? A comfy mat on the the family room floor? Don't overlook moments of private time for a little foreplay. When you're cleaning out the attic, grab your husband and give him an absolutely breath taking kiss. Then let him know there will be more of that at bedtime (or whenever, what the heck, you needed a break from the work anyhow).
* when you get intimate - Sex at bedtime is nice, but so is sex in the morning, just before or after work, at lunchtime, etc. Don't be afraid to change up your plans and make love in the afternoon.
By taking just one of these elements and doing something a little different, you are being creative and it will add a bit of interest to your intimate life. Imagine your husband's surprise and pleasure when you join him in the shower for a bit of soapy foreplay or perhaps you could take a few moments in a back room for a quickie before leaving for the evening.
I encourage y'all to sit down with a pen and paper and write down a few ideas that are within your comfort zone (maybe even stretch yourself a bit) and then plan to try them out this next week. We can be creative lovers if we will make the effort and risk a bit. Even a small change is a good thing and a step in the right direction, a point of learning and growing.
Another word for creativity is courage. George Prince
Be generous! Lori <><
My husband is gone for a few days (guy retreat). Boy howdy, I already miss him. He has an outrageous sense of humor, the best hugs in the universe, and, well, life is just sweeter when he is around. I will try not to mope all over y'all the next few days.
I did tuck a love note in his suitcase and we'll swap lots of emails and a phone call or two. I know my sneaky and very romantic husband will have left a few goodies around for me to find.
I've created a page on The Generous Wife site for sharing ideas when dealing with traveling spouses (I know we have some gals married to military types and others married to traveling business types). I've listed a few ideas and encourage y'all to share your ideas too. Let's share the wealth and create a resource page with lots of ideas.
Here's the link: Staying In Touch (it's also listed as a page in the right column of the main site, you do have to register to share your ideas)
Be generous! Lori <><
