[AllisonR]

I want to steal your good ideas.

I have a million gifts for 4 yo DS and 2 yo DD. Great ages and so fun to buy for.

I have ZERO for DH. He has limited desires, is impossible to buy for, and another year/another sweater is just not going to cut it. If I ask what he wants, I get "I don't know." He probably wants a new hard drive or some such (both of us are computer nuts), but then he will just go out and buy it. HELP!!!!

: ?

 

[kblackstone444]

I'm here to steal ideas, also. Nobody's sharing?

 

[soposdedi]

Well, dh has to shave every day, so I bought him an old fashioned shaving kit with the soft brush and mug and even hand made aftershave, from an etsy seller. Her name there is avengingophelia, and she has lots of good stuff!

And then i also bought him an oldfashioned compass in a cool box, so that when he is gone some where being a big tough army guy, he will always be able to find his way home to me

. I will probably also get him some nice lounge/pj pants. He is REALLy hard to buy for, so i feel inordinately proud that i was able to come up with such original ideas this year

.

 

[riaketty]

Sigh... DH's only desire was for ammunition, so we now have 500 rounds for his rifle and pistol coming via UPS next week. (eyeroll)

However, some other ideas I had were a beer stein (he has two from previous christmases and they're just decorative, but individually painted, etc. Here: http://www.amazon.com/Nuernberg-Chri...8312359&sr=8-9
Kinda like those but ours were a bit less expensive).

Last year I bought him a camelbak because he hikes a lot. He seemed thrilled.

Each year we get a book catalog from his favorite publishers and I make sure to note which ones he seems interested in. Luckily I know if he buys them because I control the money.

If you have an office-worker hubby, how about one of those digital picture frames? They're expensive, but they're awesome. You can preload pictures and maybe each month give him a few more so he'll always have his family 'with' him.

Oh! And every year as part of DH's 'present', I make him these special cookies that he absolutely loves but are a ton of hassle and pain in the rear to make. So that's a big thing for us.

Good luck!

 

[woodchick]

DH is getting some Wicked Good Slippers from LLBean. They eat my entire DH Christmas budget but I know he wants and will love them. I might make some little things for him for free...

 

[nummies]

So far I have gotten him a really warm winter hat. I will probably get him a pair of PJ pants and maybe a couple of T-shirts. Can't really think of anything else. He is really hard to buy for!

 

[mommy68]

We weren't planning on getting one another anything. I finished shopping for the kids several weeks ago but on Black Friday I took the kids to some places and ended up at the mall that day and found a great winter shirt for DH with a 60% off price tag.

He has that now sitting under the tree. It was totally unexpected and unplanned.

 

[alicewyf]

DH just wanted my permission to make a giant order from Amazon. I love my book-nerd husband.

 

[ellemnop]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soposdedi Well, dh has to shave every day, so I bought him an old fashioned shaving kit with the soft brush and mug and even hand made aftershave, from an etsy seller. Her name there is avengingophelia, and she has lots of good stuff!

That's funny... I bought the same thing for my DH.

So from me DH is getting:

1. Handmade Shaving Kit from avengingophelia
2. Garage Sale Hardcover book of Tolkien Stories
3. Knitted Irish Hiking Scarf (made by me)
4. A Buffalo Sabres hat that he was DROOLING over and I bought in front of him but told him he would have to wait for Christmas
5. Buffalo Sabres signed photograph that I bought at a yardsale and framed with a yardsale frame

All in all this cost me a $20 value swap, $5 for the book, $5 for supplies for the scarf, $16 for the hat, and $10 for the signed pic and frame. I ordered him a photobook from snapfish (not free because I lost the fight with snapfish even though I ordered it in time) from Lemmie.

I'll also do him a stocking (filled with things like deodorant and toothpaste), and I make Christmas lounge pants for Christmas morning for the family.

Take care,
El

 

[earthmama369]

DH asked for one of these in purple and grey:

http://www.gottahavahat.com/stockingjester/jester.html

And one of these in black:

http://www.utilikilts.com/?page_id=31

The last one, being almost $300, is a joint gift from myself and my parents, sister, and grandmothers. Possibly from my MIL and SILs, too..I haven't talked to them yet.

I also got him a couple DVDs I thought he would like (bad eighties sci fi comedies), a pecan log, chocolate cherries, and marzipan for his stocking.

 

[mytwogirls]

My awesome MIL is coming over next Thursday to watch the girls so I can surprise DH and take him out to his favorite restaurant. I already called ahead to make sure they have his favorite wine waiting at the table. He has been wanting a dinner for two for SO long but we never find the time because we don't do babysitters and my MIL has been busy so she could not watch them. The dinner is pricey but worth it. I cannot wait!!!! Oh and I already have dessert planned before we get home

:

 

[EviesMom]

I guess I spend a bit more than some OP, but we do splurge a bit at Christmas, and it includes a stocking from Santa. Santa only brings stockings in our house. Tree gifts are from family. If neccessary, we've done none/one/only homemade gifts under the tree, but we always do stockings, even before we had kids!

DH Stocking
Wall-E (got it on Black Friday, basically free because I was buying enough DVDs for extended family)
2 Sharpies markers
Crank flashlight (needs no batteries!)
Guitar wall hanger (to hang his guitar on the wall for easier access; pretty inexpensive, $10 or so)
Guitar picks
Gumballs
Peppermint stick
Chocolate
Mini bottles of alcohol to add to Xmas morning coffee... probably kahlua and Bailey's Irish Cream
Soap

Under Tree
Beard Trimmer--DS
Fedora Hat--Me
Obama book--DD
Sweater--Me

Stuff I've done in other year's that's done well:
Rubix cube
Sunglasses
Scarf
Hand warmers (disposable or like this: http://www.amazon.com/Platinum-Catal.../dp/B000CGG5EC I bought metal ones for my brothers a few years back and they were a big hit; but I know I didn't pay $16 each!)
Coffee sampler to try different kinds
"Fancy" shaving cream (heh, in those pre-beard trimmer days, obviously!)
Mix CD of music we love
Quarters for his favorite video game (when we lived in the dorms and had a game room in the basement; I taped them to a pic of the game)
Rented PS 2 when we couldn't afford to buy it but he really wanted to play it; he was a little annoyed when he thought I had spent that much, then I explained it was rented.

I've also heard of people checking out books from the library for one another, things they choose for the other person. Checking out 2 copies so you can read and discuss together seems like a great no-cost option!

 

[Scribe]

Aw, thanks for the props for my shaving sets! My partner already has one of those (since he was the protoype!), so he's not getting that. So far, I've ordered him some Smartwool socks and a Tony Bourdain "Cook Free or Die" t-shirt. Now I'm trying to decide what else to add. My current ideas are:

-beautiful Turkish cookbook (I found it on sale for about $30)
-some sort of hand-stamped necklace
-iPod Shuffle

I haven't decided yet, though.

 

[mytwogirls]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EviesMom I guess I spend a bit more than some OP, but we do splurge a bit at Christmas, and it includes a stocking from Santa. Santa only brings stockings in our house. Tree gifts are from family. If neccessary, we've done none/one/only homemade gifts under the tree, but we always do stockings, even before we had kids! DH Stocking Wall-E (got it on Black Friday, basically free because I was buying enough DVDs for extended family) 2 Sharpies markers Crank flashlight (needs no batteries!) Guitar wall hanger (to hang his guitar on the wall for easier access; pretty inexpensive, $10 or so) Guitar picks Gumballs Peppermint stick Chocolate Mini bottles of alcohol to add to Xmas morning coffee... probably kahlua and Bailey's Irish Cream Soap Under Tree Beard Trimmer--DS Fedora Hat--Me Obama book--DD Sweater--Me Stuff I've done in other year's that's done well: Rubix cube Sunglasses Scarf Hand warmers (disposable or like this: http://www.amazon.com/Platinum-Catal.../dp/B000CGG5EC I bought metal ones for my brothers a few years back and they were a big hit; but I know I didn't pay $16 each!) Coffee sampler to try different kinds "Fancy" shaving cream Mix CD of music we love Quarters for his favorite video game (when we lived in the dorms and had a game room in the basement; I taped them to a pic of the game) Rented PS 2 when we couldn't afford to buy it but he really wanted to play it; he was a little annoyed when he thought I had spent that much, then I explained it was rented. I've also heard of people checking out books from the library for one another, things they choose for the other person. Checking out 2 copies so you can read and discuss together seems like a great no-cost option!

Wow. Just wow. I have not even started shopping yet.

 

[EviesMom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mytwogirls Wow. Just wow. I have not even started shopping yet.

Usually I haven't even started either! This was the first time I've ever done Black Friday shopping, actually. I had a lull in work time the last two weeks and figured I should take advantage of it. I got lists together, scouted out the prices, and discovered that what I wanted to buy was in the budget, so I didn't have to go through the "do I do this? or this?" dance I usually do for DH. Oh, and I haven't bought all of it yet, still need the alcohol, chocolate, and hat.

 

[mytwogirls]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EviesMom Usually I haven't even started either! This was the first time I've ever done Black Friday shopping, actually. I had a lull in work time the last two weeks and figured I should take advantage of it. I got lists together, scouted out the prices, and discovered that what I wanted to buy was in the budget, so I didn't have to go through the "do I do this? or this?" dance I usually do for DH. DDs is done too, but DS I still have things I'm debating about.

Over-achiever!!!

I have stolen a couple of your ideas though, so thanks

 

[kirstenb]

I am getting DH a GPS for the car as he complains ALL THE TIME about not having a navigation system. I'm not sure what DS is getting him yet but I was thinking about a Bluetooth for his phone. I used reward points from work to get the GPS and I am hoping to do the same for the Bluetooth so I won't have to pay anything out of pocket.

He loves to cook so in the past I have bought specialty items from Zingerman's like special olive oils and balsalmic vinegars. Even if he doesn't cook there are some cool things there.

 

[SAHDS]

I got him:

The Office DVD game

Office Space on DVD for his stocking

This camera (which is a joint gift for us both, really)

Quote:

Originally Posted by riaketty DH's only desire was for ammunition, so we now have 500 rounds for his rifle and pistol coming via UPS next week.

HA HA, my DH too. I'm sure his stocking will have a few AK magazines stuffed in there too.

Books:

- On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society

- On Combat, The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace

- Stop Teaching Our Kids to Kill : A Call to Action Against TV, Movie and Video Game Violence

- Warriors: On Living with Courage, Discipline, and Honor

- Into the Kill Zone: A Cop's Eye View of Deadly Force

And candy.

 

[SAHDS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirstenb I used reward points from work to get the GPS and I am hoping to do the same for the Bluetooth so I won't have to pay anything out of pocket.

Oh, a Bluetooth. Great idea!

 

[claddaghmom]

I got DH a "game chair" (the kind that hooks up the to the audio on the tv and vibrates) a video game and track pants.

I was also trying to get him a laptop on ebay but my paypal account is messed up.

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