Jewelry Gifts from the Heart

POPPING THE TOOTSIE

submitted by: David Drees

My wife and I met while we were both studying overseas in a very small town in China. We had just gotten engaged a few days before, but we were waiting on a ring until we could get to a bigger city that would have a nice jewelry store. However, I really wanted to see a ring on her finger. A year before, I had purchased a ring in a shop, not for anyone in particular, but because the ring had such a unique design, so I decided to give that to her as a temporary ring until I could get somewhere to buy her a real engagement ring (i.e. one with a diamond). But I wanted to give it to her in a special way, nonetheless.

In China, American treats were very rare, and one of my wife favorites was green-apple-flavored Tootsie Pops. So I took the wrapper and stick from a green apple Tootsie Pop that a friend from America had sent, I taped tissue around the top of the stick in the shape of the candy and put the ring around it. I then wrapped it with the original wrapper, trying to make it look as close as possible to the real candy shape. 

During a dinner party with some friends that night, I made a small speech about my love for her and my desire to spend the rest of my life with her. I then presented her with a gift box. Inside the box was a green apple Tootsie Pop (again, her favorite, and quite rare in China). I asked her to open it, and when she did, she saw the ring. She has loved that ring so much, that I never bought her the diamond ring I intended. She still wears that ring on her finger today.