Relationships: Strengthen the relationship with gifts and free interaction

Giving gifts amongst family members, friends and couples is one way through which individuals tend to express their inner feelings to others not only in the festive season like now but whenever it calls for. Free interaction is also another channel through which individuals get to know, understand and strengthen their relationships. Susan Babijja working with Pharmacie Continental in Remera says that gifts are indicators of personal responsibility on the part of a person who gives her that gift. She, however, hastens to add that men are crafty in that one can decide to avail you with a pool of gifts and then go out with another one. So the boyfriend should spend great moments with her. If she misses a gift or gifts from her boyfriend in great moments of the year through which she analyses all the hard moments, she has passed through then it leaves her uncomfortable and she feels insecure with the relationship. She also added that a gift is a gift but people in real relationships should also make an effort to understand what kind of gifts their partners feel proud of. This is to avoid disappointments. That it is too frustrating when you intend to surprise your partner by buying him or her a gift then in the end you realise he or she is not impressed. Annie Bamushite a business lady operating in Kampala and Kigali says that “men are interested in surprising us which is good when giving gifts to partners but risky because of differences in choice. It is not that what may be good for you, may be good for your partner.” A gift is a gift but Annie is not convinced with gifts like flowers saying that partners in serious relationships should give gifts to their partners which portrays and strengthens the existing relationship. “My boyfriend can’t send me a flower as a gift; he will at least send me something small but with meaning, I do not mean economic gains,” she said, adding that sometimes men take it for granted that every lady knows the meaning of flowers the way they understand it, yet some ladies know these flowers as being good in decorating sitting rooms and bedrooms in times of happiness or used as wreaths in moments of sadness when someone dies. Musa Matovu, a taxi driver, says that spending enough time with the partner is quite good but sometimes, ladies demand time which is more than enough forgetting that work should also be given time. He pointed out that it doesn’t stop the same ladies from lining-up their endless demands. A partner will complain if you are used to visiting her at a specific time and you don’t or come late due to some other commitments. She may assume that you first visited another partner first. To Musa, this is a lack of trust. Therefore, learning each other is very important in maintaining, strengthening and making surprises for your partner but one of the most important ways to note through which one can easily learn, understand and cope with a partner is through interacting freely, giving enough time to each other as this makes couples learn the likes and don’ts of each other. Ends