I do a great job buying gifts for my kids, but my husband gets the short end of the stick. His bday is in two days and I have nothing and no ideas.
He's not very techy. We don't buy dvds, cd's, games, or books.
He likes music, but buying an iTunes card seems lame.
He likes golf, but hasn't played all year and it's the end of the season.
He has every tool necessary or wanted.
He doesn't need any clothes.
He never talks about wanting anything.
Please give me some ideas!!!!
I think we live very boring lives!!!
He is not a drinker, poker player, and doesn't have hardly any hobbies. Golf was it....key word...was.
He does like sports....I do like the idea of getting him a Colts jersey.
I think he might like a massage...hmmmm.
Getting a sitter overnight is out, but I am working on getting a sitter for a night out.
We can't spend too much money....we have a mini vacation to see family planned in a couple weeks and are getting ready to buy a house.
I looked into finding a concert or play, but nothing any time soon....and then there's the money and babysitter issue.
Thanks for the ideas so far! AWESOME!!!! (I totally suck at this!)
His and her massages - you deserve something for all this effort!
Tickets to something you would both enjoy - theater, comedy night, concert.
A weekend away - get Grandma or Auntie to babysit, and find a nice inn or resort on Groupon or through Priceline/Hotwire. Many places offer great deals in the off season. You can do this quickly on the computer and look like you fussed for ages!!!
Is he into retro type stuff? If so, I don't know how much you're looking to spend, but what about something like a record player and an old vinyl album? I don't know if he'd be into that, but it might be something to think about. If he's not into retro type stuff and buys music on iTunes, you can look in his iTunes "Sidebar" (you may have to "show sidebar" under the "view" tab) and see what "Genius" recommends based on his music library. See if there is anything there that he doesn't already have that you think he might like. Hope this helps!
Get a babysitter over night if possible. Take him out to dinner and then come home and then just put a bow on your head. :) I don't think he would argue.
Sounds like gift giving is stressful. How about find a babysitter for the kids and go out on a date - what you enjoyed doing before you had kids and all the time in the world. Sometimes just decompressing and having quiet, calm meal in a restaurant with adult conversation and an adult beverage followed by an adult movie, instead of a cartoon, is priceless.
How about?:
-making him a nice steak diane dinner (topped w/onions), baked potato
w/butter & sour cream?
-a red plaid man-blanket
-buy Beers Around the World from Cost Plus (or any beverage store) & have a beer tasting at home. add some salted almonds
-make an iron-on shirt for him to wear at home that says "You Are Loved".
Have the kids sign or handprints on it.
-license plate frame that says something cool or w/his fave team logo
-if he watches sports, buy him his team's logo sweatshirt
-sm framed poem of the top 5 reasons you love him (ex. he's a great dad,
etc)
-wool socks if he's always cold, a desk fan if he's always hot
-desk organizer for his desk drawer or trays for his desk
-something for his garage like a man-clock to hang in there
-think of his hobbies (cooking, lounging, sports) then buy something w/that idea. For ex, if he's a cook buy him a cookbook or new set of knives etc. If he likes to BBQ, then bbq tools etc.
-Poker chips & cards to play at home if he likes to play poker w/a group
of guys
-a trouble shooting buide/manual for his car for any low-key maintenance he can do himself (oil change, change a light bulb etc).
-vibrating massage pad for his chair
-if he's in sales, a nice pen or travel case
-if he travels for work, a new travel bag for his shaving kit etc.
-Your Family Story Book (you make it yourself. Choose a leather bound
scrapbook. Just start w/where you met, your first date, picture of where
you got married, a pic of each child when they were young
-if he grew up in the area, take a picture of his high school, the house he grew up in etc.
You didn't say how much you want to spend on this.
My wife gave me a gift certificate at a spa where I could get a foot massage three times. I loved it. When I was done, she and I bought dinner and took it home and watched a movie on our TV. Some time during the movie, she "dressed up" in something soft, lacy and almost transparent and asked if I wanted "desert". We had a wonderful time.
In your case it would involve a babysitter where you could take your kids OR staying at a hotel with your husband.
One year, I surprised my wife with a cruise. We already had our passports and I brown bagged my lunch until I could afford the cruise. It was a WOW! for her and we had a wonderful time.
ETA: If a sitter might set you back too much, offer with another mom to babysit her kids in exchange for her babysitting your kids. My wife did this when we were hurting economically and all of my kids have done this at one time or another. Three of my daughters made this (swapping babysitting) a regular part of their lives.
Good luck to you and yours.
Tickets for the two of you to go to a show, concert or sporting event!
Gift certificate for a massage.
Or just get someone to watch the kids and plan a fun date night. It doesn't have to be a fancy restaurant (unless he likes that.) You could go bowling, go to a great bar and shoot some pool, see a really funny movie, anything that gets him having fun and laughing :)
We gave my father a "gentleman's spa day" last year and he LOVED it! It was:
- 30 minute massage
- "Manly" manicure (no polish, just trim/buff/cuticles)
- Hot towel shave
He really enjoyed it and would NEVER set foot into a spa on his own!
This sounds kinda funny for a male but ...... What about a gift certificate for a day spa? My husband is always complaining that he works hard all day and I "never have time" to rub his back!!! I actually did that for him a couple years ago and he loved it!! And those people can do a way better job than I can... You can go exspensive or cheap they have all sorts of ideas!! And u wouldn't believe the amount of men going into those places... My hubby is the same wayhas everything and doesn't need anything else!! Wish we were made that way!! I loved lavenders day spa!! Unfortunately I've been there tooo much!! Good luck girly!! Momma of 4!
What I did one year for my Husband, being I had no money is:
I wrote a poem for him. My own words.
Then I wrote it onto nice paper, then I framed it.
He really liked it a ton.
It was meaningful.
Men, can be hard to buy gifts for.
Especially if they don't have many interests or are picky.
Or, get him a gift cert for a pedicure. Many men like this because it is relaxing. I see lots of men at our local manicure/pedicure place. They put their feet in the foot bath, get their feet massaged and dead skin rubbed off etc. No nail painting. But their feet are worked on and made all nice.
nothing girly!
take him out for dinner & then let him shop while you are patient & nonverbal!
does he like sports?? .. i just got my fiance a pair of giants pj pants (even though i hate the giants =p ).. since its football season all the stores are carrying tons of sports stuff- coffee mugs, shirts, all kinds of stuff.
does he drink?.. my dads been wanting a kegerator for in the garage for a few years now, as long as our finances allow it we're going to buy him one for xmas- we found a cheap one in costo ... if that doesnt happen i saw in kmart the other day that they have a brew your own beer kit.. does he like wine? buy him an expensive bottle and make him his favorite dinner... If hes a tool guy he can never have enough.. if you really cant think of anything get him a giftcard for homedepot or a store like that... just because golf season is over doesnt mean you cant go that route, theres always the driving range, the one by us sells cards u can buy that allow u to get however many buckets of balls u want to put on it.. what does he spend alot of his free time doing (other than with the family)??
I would just cook an amazing meal and dessert! or if you don't like cooking, order a carry out meal from his favorite restaurant.
have fun!
Remember that scene in Juno where she finally admitted that she cared for Beaker in a big way? Knowing that he licked tic tac, she stuffed his mailbox with them.
I would do something like that...something little done in a huge way.
Maybe he would enjoy a journal.?
Would he enjoy learning a new hobby? Maybe couples tennis lessons? Something you both can enjoy together. If not together, maybe just for him.
Try to get something that will remind him of you every time he uses it. Keychain, wallet, watch, cologne, ring, bracelet, necklace.
Pamper him with a bath, candle light dinner, foot massage, going into to full body massage with some nice oils. Do those sexual things he loves so much or has wanted to try.
Or maybe you can have some nice sexy pictures of yourself done for him. Ok, maybe not enough time to get it done in two days, but definitely outside the box. Lol ;0)
My husband would disagree you can never have every tool.....
how about a subscription to a magazine to go with his tool addiction, like woodworking or ?
or a golf magazine?
