Not a bad way to wake up on your 32nd birthday…

I’d be thrilled to find any of these things under my tree this year. I’ve been a very, very good girl.

Wool Lolli Pant, J.Crew

Karolina, Kate SpadeRose Giant Houndstooth, Boden (just marked down to $88, so Santa will be getting a great deal!)

Giraffe Lamp, Jonathan Adler

Micro Hoop Earrings, Tiffany

And, now for some practical items…

Breville Pie Maker

Julia Child: The French Chef

The Michael Jackson game for Wii (WHAT!?)

Wood Pastry Board (I will make a perfect pie crust this year)

And, because I am a huge nerd, My Name Spelled on the Field at Autzen Stadium by the Oregon Marching Band

What’s on your list this year?

Yesterday, on my way to a meeting, I listened to Living Today on Martha Stewart Radio (which is one of my very favorite things). The managing editor from Martha Stewart Weddings was on talking about ring etiquette and the like.

I’m assuming the motivation of the piece was the fact that Prince William gave Kate Middleton his mother’s ring as an engagement ring. So, they were asking people to call in and share how they acquired their engagement rings. Had the women picked it out themselves? Did the man pick it out? Or, was it an heirloom ring?

(Interesting aside: apparently, after Princess Diana died, Prince Charles took both boys to her apartment and said they could each pick one thing to remember her by. William chose a watch that she had used to teach him to tell time with, Harry chose her engagement ring. When William told Harry that he was going to propose to Kate, Harry told him that he should have the ring. Very sweet.)

Now, in theory, I think heirloom rings are great. I love thing that have a story to them. My mom’s engagement ring from my dad is a gorgeous ring and she actually requested that I wear it on my wedding day (on my pinky, but that’s a discussion for a whole other day). But, I really want nothing to do with it and here’s why: it’s a reminder of the life that I didn’t have. Though it’s lovely and timeless, it just reminds me that my parents divorced when I was an infant. And, I’m also concerned that it might be bad luck. Maybe I’ll change my mind about that one day, but that’s how I feel now. It’s the same with Princess Diana’s ring, which is obviously amazing. BUT, her marriage ended in divorce.  (another interesting aside: they are selling copies of this ring on some home shopping channel. Which reminds me of when I worked at the accessories store in college and we could not keep that damn Titanic necklace in stock.)

While I was listening to the program, the majority of people who called in had heirloom rings and their stories were all very sweet as to how they got them, who they belonged to, etc. BUT, then this one girl called in and basically said that she waited 33 years to get married and dammit, she was going to have the ring she wanted, so she picked her own ring out. And, then, for the first time in my life, I was tempted to call into a radio program.

Here’s the thing. I think if you’ve at the point in your relationship where you’re thinking about marriage then your boyfriend/fiance’/whatever should know you well enough to know your style and what kind of ring you’d like. I think talking about things you like/don’t like in a ring is fine. We did that. And, luckily, we were both thinking along the same lines and in the end, he proposed with a ring that I could not love more. For the most part, I really believe that the couple should both like the ring. He has to buy it, you have to wear it.

But, I just don’t like the idea of the girl going to the jewelry store with the guy and picking out her own ring. True story: I know someone who picked out her own ring and then applied for a financing account under her name to pay for it. I just think you should trust your guy enough to pick out a ring he thinks you’d love.

I’m curious about two things. One: Did you pick out your own ring? Did your fiance’/husband pick it out? Or, was it an heirloom ring? And, two: how do you feel about heirloom rings from marriages that ended in divorce?