Gifting for HER

[AndrewWiggin]

Don't know what I'll do for Christmas yet, no idea what I'll get this year.

In years past I have bought the Christmas Village houses because I thought she would like them. I cannot tell if she likes them or not, but if she wants something else, she should tell me. Hate the guessing game.

I generally get something sentimental for Christmas, and something more practical for a birthday.

 

[rickw]

Diamonds. Big Big Diamonds.

Two or three carats should make her happy.

 

[TXDE]

I don't have any specific gift suggestions, rather a suggestion as to how you can get her to 'tell' you what she wants. It's not a painless procedure mind you.

Step 1: Drink lots of coffee or whatever stimulant floats your boat. You're gonna need it.

Step 2: Offer to help her shop for some of the gifts that she's going to buy for your friends, extended family, etc. NOTE: you may want to practice your delivery on this one a few times so it sounds sincere. If she looks at you like you're inside-out, purple, and on fire when you make the offer, this strategey may not be for you.

Step 3: This is where the stimulant comes in. Stay alert enough while she's shopping to A) not **** her off, and B) notice when she starts looking at stuff that SHE likes. This is the key! She will inevitably stray from her gift shopping task and look at stuff she likes. She's a woman in a store/mall, she can't help herself .

Step 4: Some how, make a mental (or physical) note of the store you're in, and the item(s) she likes. Don't let her catch on that you're doing this.

Step 5: Return to the store alone and purchase the item in question.

Step 6: Figure out how you're gonna get the gift(s) wrapped, 'cuz you know that she's doing all the wrapping in your family you lazy slob .

I'm speaking from experience that this strategy mostly works, that is if your relationship is anything like SWMBO's and mine.

You sir are now my hero!

 

[The Nid Hog]

There's an easy way to do it. You just need strength and resolve. I usually try to do this earlier in the year--maybe sometime during the fall.

I take my wife shopping at the stores of her choice. I walk around with her and don't try to sneak away to look at stuff that I like. I look at whatever seems to interest her and make small talk about it in order to keep her shoping. I make mental notes of the things that interest her and where they can be found.

After that, it's an easy matter to get back to the store without her and pick up a couple of the things that she likes. Most likely she knows just what I'm up to and is intentionally leaving me a trail of bread crumbs. So what? I'm happy to be led to the correct choice and she's happy to pretend that I took her by surprise with my choices.

 

[cfriend]

whoops, wrong thread!

 

[waxinghurts]

Whatever you do... if you get something on clearance don't leave the price tag on the box. Also, if you get something on clearance and you remember to take the price tag off, make sure you didn't get her a vacuum cleaner. These are the lessons I learned from my father.

 

[ChrisG]

If you have a Build-A-Bear Workshop near you, I suggest that you take her there, and have her build her own. Budget AT LEAST an hour and a half of time though, because just the whole process of building the bear, getting accessories, and possibly having to wait in line takes quite a bit of time.

The reason why I say this is that not only will she create something herself (so she'll like it), it's also something fun that the two of you can do together, which is the real value of the gift. And in the future, every time that she looks at the bear, she'll remember how much fun it was.

That will work if she is 12. My suggestion, walk into a Tiffany store, buck up and over spend. No matter what it is you buy she will love. Something about that name makes ladies go gaga.

 

[castlebar]

I came up with this idea last year and it went over big: buy her a digital photo frame and load it up with all the photos of the stuff you did together over the past year. Lots of frames have decent internal memory, and with the ones that don't you can easily buy a SanDisk, etc. for a few extra bucks.

 

[Wendy]

I came up with this idea last year and it went over big: buy her a digital photo frame and load it up with all the photos of the stuff you did together over the past year. Lots of frames have decent internal memory, and with the ones that don't you can easily buy a SanDisk, etc. for a few extra bucks.

That would have won my heart : )

 

[gaseousclay]

I bought my wife a North Face Gotham jacket - she opened it lastnight and loved it. i'm gonna get her small stocking stuffers but i'm struggling to come up with something. I did get her a cool matroyshka measuring cup thingy that she might enjoy and i'm thinking maybe a book or two. any other ideas?

 

[Deltaboy]

If you have a Build-A-Bear Workshop near you, I suggest that you take her there, and have her build her own. Budget AT LEAST an hour and a half of time though, because just the whole process of building the bear, getting accessories, and possibly having to wait in line takes quite a bit of time.

The reason why I say this is that not only will she create something herself (so she'll like it), it's also something fun that the two of you can do together, which is the real value of the gift. And in the future, every time that she looks at the bear, she'll remember how much fun it was.

I concur this is a great time to also take her to lunch at her favorite place and get her some flowers.

 

[Erin]

There are a lot of good ideas in here. I am into sentimental things. Jewelry is always nice.. It lasts a long time and everytime I wear it, I feel its meaning.

Experiences are great, especially if they're for both of you. The memories and bonding are priceless.

I received an iTouch last year for Christmas and I use it every day. It's not just limited to music like the other iPod generations.. I have so many app's on mine, it's 4875615 tools in 1. It's my palm-held bible, complete with my nurse tabs and medical dictionary!

As long as you put some thought into it and not hit the clearance racks at Walmart, I think you'll be fine. )


P.S. Please do not give her a Snuggie unless she has asked for one. ;o)

 

[SRock]

OK so I know Christmas is just around the corner but I thought I'd chime in. I've been told all my life that I give great gifts. What's the secret, get them something they'll truly appreciate and never see coming.

For example, my wife reads an average of 5-6 books per week. Last year after asking me for many of the standard things, this purse, that ring etc. etc. I bought her a Sony PRS-505 eBook Reader. She was floored. She now only buys books in paperback that she can't get digitally. She must have told me 50 times that she never would have thought of that or guessed that's what I got her. From all the hours she's logged on it, I know it was a winner.

I've found over the years that a gift that says "I truly know you" or "I don't just hear you, I listen" will carry you a long way in the gift department.

 

[Veritas II]

Whatever you do... make sure you didn't get her a vacuum cleaner. These are the lessons I learned from my father.

I love putting a vacuum cleaner into a cart at <insert store name here> and asking random women if they think my wife would like it for a gift. I usually do this in the summer, so I say something like "it's our first anniversary and I really want to get her something nice." The looks I get from these women are priceless. Only ONE woman has ever told me that I shouldn't do it.

 

[Confuzius]

On top of other small gifts, I usually make something.
One year it was a fancy designer looking lamp with interchangeable shades, another year it was a geeky picture frame art project with "LOVE" spelled out in 7-segment leds (like the kind you see on soda machines and stuff), another year I cast silver jewelry in the shape of a triskel using a mold I carved myself, and subsequently broke.

Other years for other occasions I've also made stained glass, and had a white gold pendant commissioned, based off my tattoo (see clover avatar). With that material I figured that I'd leave it up to a professional rather than attempt it myself.

This year it's lightbulb terrarium, kinda like (and inspired by) this:

 

[Taysauce]

Creativity can make up a lot of a gift. I got my girlfriend a mint green blanket that she loves. The reason I know that she loves it is because I have a tan one of the same brand and she ALWAYS uses it over here.

Then I bought her a necklace from Tiffanys, and I stuffed it into one of the folds of the blanket. So when Im done having my fun, Ill suggest that she opens it up to check the size or just to see how it feels, and suddenly she'll come across the teal box

Being creative or showing that you put a lot of effort or time into a gift means a lot to them, and surprises always help.

 

[rth97601]

My father once gave my mother a diamond wedding ring (a replacement for the original, which went down the drain and is probably still in the septic tank), and he put it in a giant box which he loaded down with bits of scrap metal before wrapping it and putting it under the tree extra early.

Mom went nuts trying ti figure out what it was, since it was so big and heavy. It made a great X-mas morning surprise.

 

[Mr. Imperial]

I am blessed with a super-laid-back wife. However, that can be problematic when it comes time for gift-giving...

I second the various "experience" gifts. My wife would rather share a meal with me at a fancy restaurant than get a piece of jewelry. No, she won't have anything "material" to remind her of the experience...women just seem to remember that stuff on their own .

That being said, my wife loves three things (beside me): food, playing piano, and family. If I can do something involving one or more of these things, I'm gold.

Except for the year I dipped her keyboard in sharp cheddar. That did NOT go over well.

 

[sparkchaser]

Don't forget the Snuggie

A Snuggie would be an awesome gift if they didn't come in such horrendous colors.

 

[lackluster dave]

Right now my big gift for my wife is the Bugzooka

Yeah, I have to do some more shopping - that ain't gonna cut it.