Watches - a no-no in Poland?

Hey there,
Just a quick word about watches. I was just about to buy a watch for my Polish girlfriend and she vehemently asked me not too. Apparently it symbolises counting down the hours until the end of the relationship. Has anyone else heard of this? (perhaps my taste in watches is rubbish lol) :)

Yup, my girlfriend told me the exact same thing a couple of months ago. Buying a watch for her is a strict no-no.

Same with shoes too, apparently! :)

I heard about it too and about shoes as well.
In poland superstitions like this are very popular.

How strange, I couldn't live without my watch and as for the shoes...I dont get it??? can someone explain to be about the shoes???

What do shoes symbolise? Stepping ever closer to the end of a relationship?... The same could be said for most presents if you think about it long enough, so more money to spend on myself :) I love it when a plan comes together lol

kelvin - Glad I'm not Polish also I have to say, I'd be extremely worried if my partner came home with shoes that I actually liked - that would be just wrong.

It all sounds a bit negative, a gift is a gift and you cant go through life thinking something as trival as purchasing a watch for someone could mean the end of a relationship - my mate got an £800 TAG watch off her B/F at xmas and they're getting engaged!!! So her's is more a count down until she's Mrs ..........

even more worrying if they were in his size :)

Though, conversley, my Ex bought me a watch 3 years ago... coincidence? I think not... though saying that, I paid for half of it, does that mean I will break up with myself at some point? what a shame, everyone thinks we get on so well, though it gets on my nerves how I leave the toilet seat up.

Now I remember why I like living on my own so much!!!

Shoes symbolises that person whom u give this present will run away from u in this shoes :)
For me its funny but i know people who strongly believe in this superstition.

I know, cutting my nails with the ice cream scoop grinds my goat too!

I guess every country has their own superstitions, I think it's colourful :) Supposebly, in England, if you give someone crabs it means you're a promiscuous sack of filth... umm, not that I'd know anything about that cough cough

:)

I heard that giving scarf to beloved person makes your relationship stronger.

I bought my other half some shoes a few months ago, and 2 days later she said she couldn't accept them as it was representative of an impending break-up.

However, she liked the shoes so much that she paid me back for them, so I got myself some DVDs instead. Respect! :)

i've heard purchasing a 2 crt. diamond ring makes a relationship stronger!!!!


Might be difficult if they're a 4 inch heel though!

This usually works too :)

I hope you neglected to tell her you bought them in a sale :)

I heard it too :)
So men dont think about watches and shoes just buy diamond rings :)
Id be the best choice for present! :)

Really?? I heard it was buying them a Ferrari, a supercomputer or enormous plasma screen that really strengthens a relationship. :)

hummm - I dont watch a lot of tv and hate driving and i only use the comp at work as a rule - so I'll have the diamond any day!

please explain the giving of a scarf. i gave my polsih boyfriend a scarf of mine fragranced with my perfume

i didnt know there was a significance in giving the scarf

oh dear.. i was thinking of buying him a watch for Xmas, since he doesnt have one... after reading this I have definitely changed my mind.

This is one behaviour that we in the UK must take up. It would save me a fortune. LOL

(Style note - I'm only allowed to pay for them, not choose them)

I've never heard that before, but its good to know!!

i thought it was that you wonted to choke them, no? ;) :D

and when you wish someone "good luck" on an exam, they say "no thanks"

then you say "bad luck" and they say "thanks"

most bizarre

actually the usual answer to "powodzenia" is rather "nie dziękuję" = "I don't thank you"
("no, thanks" = "nie, dziękuję" with comma) - I'm not 100% sure about it, but that's my impression (and I had many exams in my life)

and you don't say normally "bad luck", but wish them something apparently unlucky specifically for the situation (breaking a pen/pencil - before an exam, breaking the legs - before a run)

getting back to the scarf-why is it a symbol to make the relationship stronger?

Is this watch thing really true?

My polish guy and I exchanged watches a couple of Christmases ago, they were cherrished the whole time. I am crushed.

I just forgot to write powodzenia. But I know it.
powodzenia=good luck no thanks/i don't thank you=nie dziekuje. what are you getting at??

you are just repeating what i wrote.

it's really not a biggie, but to clear things out, that's what I meant:

"nie dziękuję" is not the same as "nie, dziękuję" (with comma after "nie")

"nie, dziękuję" = no, thanks, when you deny something offered to you
"nie dziękuję" = (literally:) I'm not thanking you (for your good luck wishes, because if I did it would bring me bad luck)

i asked my boyfriend about the watch thing, but he said he's never heard of it. So i guess he is either not superstitious or just wants me to buy him a watch :)