Need suggestions for Christmas gift for hubby!

[rubycat95]

Hi Everyone,

I know there are some very creative and thoughtful ladies here and I need help in figuring out what to get my husband for Christmas this year. Typically we don't exchange big gifts, but we do fill each other's stocking, and wrap small things like gourmet treats, books, etc. We have just finished a year long process of renovating our house from top to bottom and inside and out, so all our money went toward that. I am the type of person that if I see something I want/need I'll just get it. But my husband is one who says he never needs or wants anything and I'm feeling stuck. He is an avid golfer and I tried to convince him to join one of the local clubs but he said he'd get bored playing the same course repeatedly. He works alot to make our family life happy/easy and deserves something nice.......I just don't know what it is! I am open to any and all ideas so bring 'em on!!
Thanks in advance
Ruby

[EtherealJane]

I don't know what your budget is, but what immediately popped into my mind when you said he likes to golf but doesn't like to play the same courses is to plan a mini golfing trip for him. Maybe you could pick a destination and find a few good courses in the area and plan a nice weekend? If you have a smaller budget, you could always travel to a new/interesting/difficult course within driving distance and spend the day in the area, and perhaps have a fun overnight stay somewhere together. Do you golf with him, or does he usually golf with a friend? Adding another person into the mix makes it harder to plan, but not impossible.

My husband and I have always been a fan of "experience" type gifts. We've always been rather independent with our money, and buy the things we want for ourselves when we can afford them. The gifts we give each other tend to be less tangible, but I like to think they are potentially more meaningful. Some of my favorite memories with him have been on the mini vacations we take together.

I also like doing lots of little gifts. My husband is impossible to shop for (another reason I like the "experience" gifts, lol) and I tend to fill stockings with some of his favorite and/or necessary items. For instance, in his stocking this year, he will be getting: peanut butter M&Ms (the only candy he seems to LOVE), cashews, his favorite mouthwash in mini sizes for travel (he's rather obsessed with mouthwash), new socks for work because he has put holes in all the ones I got him last year, a new pair of headphones because he lost his old pair, and a GT alum tee-shirt. Some of these things may seem little/slightly boring, but he will be excited that he no longer has to wear holey socks because he's been too lazy to replace them, and that he no longer has to borrow my headphones, etc. I try to keep a mental list in my head of small things that he likes/needs/is too lazy to replace, and that's usually what ends up in the stocking.

Hope that helps some, or at least inspires you to come up with better ideas!

[sewwies]

My dad is exactly the same! He loves sailing, so I think this year I'll get him a yachting magazine subscription. Would he be interested in something like that but golfy? Also, like Jane said, little necessities like razor heads and socks (everyone went a bit mad on the socks for him last year though..!). Good luck!

[karen]

They're tough aren't they?? Experience trips are super fun!!! For DH's birthday we went to the Intrepid in NYC- but we've also done massages at the day spa. He claims to book them for me, but somehow he always has an appointment too. Rasa Spa in Ithaca is really nice for couples because they have a meditation room where you can relax together, really nice saunas in the locker rooms (which are cooler than they sound)- and then you can come visit us in the shop while he plays 9 holes at the Trumansburg golf course. He also likes anything transportation related and we do historic railroad tours on occasion too.

I do my holiday shopping in one day on these 3 sites.

www.thinkgeek.com They usually have something interesting for techie people (and some fun things for not so techie people). For DH's birthday I got him a tin of Penguin Mints (he loves them), a new coffee maker, and miracle berry tablets- which make sour things taste sweet- really cool, and all natural- it was fun to plan his birthday meal around them.

www.duluthtrading.com- They're primarily geared towards construction workers, but they have lots of other neat fun things- like nostalgic games, fun sleds that are super fast, handy gadgets- it's kind of like a cool, old-fashioned general store type site.

They have a section of clothes that are designed for beating the heat...seems like a good thing for a golfer. There's also this really nifty neck band that you can use to keep cool- Kris likes his a lot.
http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/depa ... product_27
Guys love duct tape...maybe I just have a weird family (there's no maybe- we're all weird), but some sort of duct tape has become a stocking stuffer in my house. They loved this last year-
http://www.duluthtrading.com/store/depa ... =product_2

And if I can't find anything extra super cool on those sites I hit Amazon, and take it from there.

[rubycat95]

WOW, what great ideas you are giving me! I love the idea of "experiental" trips/gifts, but that is usually not part of our reality as we have 2 young daughters w/no family close by to take them for a night or two. We have gone away alone, but it takes alot of planning. In fact we have a 4 day trip to FL planned for April, but that's so far away. So I think I'll start w/the idea of filling his stocking w/some unusual things that he won't expect and will surf those sites that Karen posted. I will also see about a subscription to one of those Golf Magazines. I wish he was a spa type guy, but he isn't and believe it or not, neither am I!! The most I can handle is a manicure. I don't like "strangers" touching me........weird I know Thanks again to all of you, and if you have more ideas I'm all ears!

[rubycat95]

Karen, I forgot to say that I would LOVE to come see your shop, especially since I am so close to you. I haven't been in the Ithaca area for a while now and need to get up there. I also have a friend in Trumansburg, on Cayuga St. So, do you have regular "store" hours, or are you only open for special events like your Open Houses, etc.?
Ruby

[vivify]

Oh gosh I had to go through the same thing earlier this year for my bf. He loves golf. Some of the things I considered were green fees to a really nice course somewhere he hasn't been before (it can be quite pricy a couple hundred), new golf clubs (you can just get him a new wood or something not a whole set), LESSONS (have a pro help him correct any issues he might have), and finally if you have the space in your home there are virtual golf games that you could get him. They're designed so that you can use your own golf clubs to practice.

[zeebs]

Yeah, I like the golf outing idea. Does he have a buddy he plays with? Or a family member he can go with? Maybe you can collaborate with that person on a plan.

I know what you mean, my DH is the same way, I practically have to hold him at gunpoint to get him to buy things for himself. This year, we bought him two new pairs of jeans and a new peacoat (he'd been wearing the same one for over ten years, and it was looking kinda beat). Are there any purchases he's been putting off that he *needs*? Shoes are another thing a lot of guys are notoriously bad at replacing - one year, my mom bought my DH a big gift card to a nice, upscale shoe store, and it was one of his favorite gifts.

Does he like video games or movies or books? My dad always likes getting gift cards to his favorite stores so he can just go browse, like Barnes & Noble or Home Depot, it's nicer for him to choose his own items for his hobbies, because shopping is half the fun.

Guys seem to be practically-minded about gifts, so if you can anticipate "needs" sometimes that works out well.

Or how about a flying lesson or gift card to a flight simulator place? Skydiving? Wine tasting? Cooking lesson?

[Trainer]

Hi Everyone,

I know there are some very creative and thoughtful ladies here and I need help in figuring out what to get my husband for Christmas this year. Typically we don't exchange big gifts, but we do fill each other's stocking, and wrap small things like gourmet treats, books, etc. We have just finished a year long process of renovating our house from top to bottom and inside and out, so all our money went toward that. I am the type of person that if I see something I want/need I'll just get it. But my husband is one who says he never needs or wants anything and I'm feeling stuck. He is an avid golfer and I tried to convince him to join one of the local clubs but he said he'd get bored playing the same course repeatedly. He works alot to make our family life happy/easy and deserves something nice.......I just don't know what it is! I am open to any and all ideas so bring 'em on!!
Thanks in advance
Ruby

Hi Rubycat, my husband loves golf too and I got him the coolest present a couple years ago. I got him a Garmin golflogix. which is (if you haven't heard about it before) a gps system for golf courses. It lays out almost every golf course in the world. So he can try new golf courses and the garmin tells him all about the holes and marks where he is on the course and how far his ball is from the pin. Its a super cool gadget for guys and all of his friend will think you are the best wife ever!!
I bought mine at Dicks Sporting Goods store but I'm sure they sell them all over.

[karen]

Pretty much any time someone wants to drive out to Trumansburg we consider it a "special event"- you're always welcome- anytime. Just email me a day or two before you're making a visit, and I'll make sure we're there!