Gifts for men


According to a local newspaper (14.12.10) last Christmas 6 million Australians received one or more presents they never used or later gave away, a new survey by the Australia Institute reveals. . . . unwanted presents represented a staggering $798 million waste of money, time and resources.

The reason why I am mentioning this is all due to DH.  At Christmas and birthdays I provide DH with a list of things I would like (options he can consider or disregard).  However DH refuses to give me any ideas of what he would like, instead he would like me to be adventurous and surprise him.  Now my DH is not into:
  • sport (playing or watching)
  • cars
  • spirits or expensive alcohol
  • clothes (he can be quite picky)
  • reading (he likes to read, however 1 book can last all year, he hasn't read last years book!)
  • jewellery (he doesn't wear any)
As for gadgets - he loves them, however he has bought all those he wanted - leaving me with no other gadgets he would like.

So . . .  what do I buy him as a gift . . . this is tricky. . . do you have this problem, if so what do you do? What do you get a man who already has everything they want?  I think when you reach a certain age (which my DH has) it becomes even more difficult to buy things for them as over the years they have accumulated "things".  Also - these days - we tend to buy when we see things released rather than wait for special occasions eg birthdays for those big ticket items.

I have surfed the net for ideas and what strange ones I have found - most are either completely useless, take up space, hugely expensive (one site suggested a plane!) or need to be dusted.  And gifts that are meant to be "funny" are quite often very crude - especially for men. 

I have always thought that buying for females was so much easier.  I am now thrilled to have a future daughter-in-law to buy for - a GIRL finally!!!!  And she loves girly things too!!!

But I did quite like the idea of buying him a duck, piglet or chicken from World Vision - no, he only gets the certificate, someone in a third world country gets the duck.


Off now to buy a ham and turkey - for Christmas Day. 

~oOo~

Comments

  1. yea buying for a man is hard enough and when they get older it becomes harder, my father in law is case in point! however my dh and I do a similar thing and give each other suggestions:)
    I always give a voucher to a store of interest if I run out of ideas on what to buy, but I'm sure you've already thought of that one!
    Can't think of anything else I'm afraid.

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  2. My husband is the same - he buys himself the things he needs and really wants. Then the children (and I) want to buy him and gift and we don't know what to get. He ends up with his favourites every year - Darrel Lea licorice, Baileys Irish Cream liquor, and the inevitable socks and boxers.

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  3. My instructions this year was to be creative and adventurous which makes it even more difficult - that means gift vouchers are out and all the normal things I usually give him.

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  4. Hi Jo, I like your world vision idea very much!
    Or..how about making some herbal foot massage oil and giving him a homemade gift voucher for a nice foot massage by you.
    My hubby loves a little pampering for his tired feet :-)
    blessings..Trish

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  5. I don't have this problem, I find it extremely easy to buy for my DH, although I'm sure it will get more difficult over the years.
    Have you thought of buying him some kind of experience he would enjoy, like tickets to a symphony if he likes classical music or giving him a home-made certificate telling him of an experience or holiday you want to take him on? There's nothing to say that the gift has to be for the here and now, is there?? :) One year I took my DH go-karting because he had never done it and was keen to try it once! It doesn't have to be anything to do with sport, but that's just an example. Is he daring? Would he go for a hot-air balloon ride or sky diving or something? (some of them can be rather expensive though, sadly, but maybe you can think of something more appropriate!)

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  6. Clara - I have thought of ballooning, but that might be something I can do for his birthday - partly because hot-air ballooning is best in March/April, which is when DH has his birthday. Since writing yesterday I have come up with a solution and now have his Christmas present!!

    Thanks everyone for ideas, I might use some for his birthday.

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