So, Valentines Day is coming up, or maybe it’s Mother’s Day, or perhaps a birthday for a special person in your life.  You want to get something nice for them and they’ve recently mentioned silk or silk pillow cases more than once.  Being the perceptive person that you are, you’ve picked up on it and are considering buying them a silk pillow case set.  But is this an appropriate gift?  Will they like it or will it send the wrong message?  Are silk pillow cases good things to give as gifts?

Well, the answer depends on a few things.  First of all you need to take into consideration the person receiving the gift.  Are they terribly picky?  Do they have strong likes and dislikes?  You will also need to take into consideration the nuances that could be read into the gift.  This can be complicated by whether the giver is a man or a woman.

Now, before we get into all of those things, let’s clear one thing up.  Silk pillow cases make a great gift.  All the other things mentioned above are simply variations and things to consider.  Why do silk pillow cases make a great gift?  Because they are simply awesome.  Comfortable and cool, they don’t draw a lot of moisture out of your skin when you sleep, leaving your skin more hydrated than cotton.  They are naturally hypoallergenic because dust mites have a more difficult time burrowing their way into the fabric, resulting in fewer sniffles during the night.  And, perhaps more importantly, they feel great.  Unless you’ve got a lot of stubble on your face, and then it’s mostly uncomfortable.  But for everyone else, they’re fantastic.

The first thing you need to consider is the person you’re giving them to.  Sure, everyone likes getting nice gifts, however, if they have a strong preference for something, like cotton, percale or flannel, then the gift of a nice silk pillow case might not be so welcome.  Of course, they probably won’t have the bad manners to express their dislike to you personally, but it may be a gift that goes unused or is just re-gifted.  So make sure it’s something they would like to get, not just something you want to get for them.

Next up is the the consideration of the nuances of giving silk pillow cases as a gift.  Of course, silk is constantly considered a more sensual fabric than, say, denim or flannel.  Giving someone a gift of a fabric that is sensual will always raise those questions unless the relationship is cut and dried non-sensual, like that of a mother and son or best friends from time immemorial.  However, be aware that given between male and female friends, regardless of the length of friendship and the platonic nature of the friendship, misunderstanding can arise.  This is also due to the fact that pillow cases are used when a person sleeps.  Combining the concept of silk’s inherent sensuality and the concept of sleep, some people can insinuate and add nuances to a gift that aren’t there.  Not to say everyone will, but some will.  So tread carefully.

There are lots of things to consider when buying any gift.  Silk pillow cases are no exception.  While you need to consider the person receiving the gift as well as what message could be understood by giving silk pillow cases, make no mistake that outside of all that other stuff,  silk pillow cases can make a great gift for the right person.