Have we had the annual What Are You Giving Your Impossible-to-buy-for-husband Thread Yet?

[Jenny in Florida]

I thought I remembered seeing a thread about holiday gifting for menfolk, but I can't find it. And, since I'm sitting here with time on my hands today while my own ItBfH is at work, I thought I'd start the topic.

 

Thus far:

• I have ordered four books from a series I mentioned to him that he said he would like to read.
• I got tickets to see the Capitol Steps when they are in town in March. (This is a bit problematic as a gift both because the actual show isn't until three months after Christmas and because I don't actually know what seats we'll get. The tickets were available only as a perk through our local public radio station, and seats will be assigned on a first-donated, first-seated basis. So, I have no clue whether we'll end up with good seats and likely won't know until well after the holiday.)

I would like to come up with at least one more fun thing to put under the tree for him, and I need inspiration for a theme for his stocking.

 

(By the way, I refer to him as "impossible" because none of the usual guy stand-by gifts work for him. He's a vegetarian (no BBQ or beef jerky or anything like that), doesn't like or follow sports, doesn't drink beer, doesn't have a favorite food, cuts his own hair, doesn't use tools, doesn't yearn for the latest tech, doesn't have a favorite TV show and has only one hobby -- role playing games -- for which he pretty much buys anything he wants/needs when he decides he wants/needs it.)

 

What are your own ItBfHs receiving this year?

[Element]

My dh is impossible too. He's getting socks (from Bombas,) some manly-scented bath bombs, and some fancy dark chocolate from the natural grocery store he never bothers to go to. I basically buy the same thing every year, and he seems happy enough with it. My dad is impossible too, but I've yet to find anything he gets excited about. 

[JustEm]

Dh is getting a Jim Gaffigan book, mixing bowls, a PlayStation Network membership, and snow boots.

 

What role playing games does he play and is he open to trying new ones?

[Guinevere]

My dh is an introvert, and gives of himself to others lots and lots. He also works very long hours, so tries to fill up the kids when he's home. Sometimes, he just needs a little time to himself. If I gave him the gift of packing up the kids for a few hours, and letting him relax at home by himself, he'd be thankful. Maybe there's some way you could give him a gift of time, in a way that suits his personality.

[Selkie]

How about a subscription to the Wall Street Journal? It has such a wide range of interesting articles. My dh (and our whole family) get enjoyment from it every day.

[Storygirl]

Sigh. I have NO idea.

 

DH also has a December birthday, unfortunately. I asked what he wanted, and he said a gift card to Kohls. One boring idea that is not even for a specific item.

 

How I'm going to turn that into birthday gifts to him from me and from the kids, plus Christmas gifts from the kids and me, I don't know. And to make it worse, MIL and my sisters in law as ME for gift ideas for DH, since he doesn't give them a list.

 

Out of one uninspired gift suggestion, I have to produce multiple gifts. I want to enjoy buying gifts for DH, but I don't.

[Prairie~Phlox]

My husband is getting a wireless rain gauge for Christmas.

[AK_Mom4]

Driving Gloves with a super soft cashmere lining.  He has Reynaud's and it affects his hands, making it stupid painful to do things like hold the steering wheel when it's cold out.

[Julie Smith]

He likes to use his recumbent exercise bike. But it is low quality (bought at the thrift store for $15 dollars) and is starting to make noise. So I bought him a nice one. My aunt, who only buys expensive stuff bought one several years ago and barely used it - and it has been in storage since then. 

I bought it from her for $100. Xmas is at my parents house, and they are arranging to have it waiting and wrapped when we arrive. 

[GoodGrief]

Last year I got my husband one of those DNA kits.

[Carol in Cal.]

 

 

(By the way, I refer to him as "impossible" because none of the usual guy stand-by gifts work for him. He's a vegetarian (no BBQ or beef jerky or anything like that), doesn't like or follow sports, doesn't drink beer, doesn't have a favorite food, cuts his own hair, doesn't use tools, doesn't yearn for the latest tech, doesn't have a favorite TV show and has only one hobby -- role playing games -- for which he pretty much buys anything he wants/needs when he decides he wants/needs it.)

 

What are your own ItBfHs receiving this year?

Try ThinkGeek for some gamer tshirts and desk chotkas.  

[bethben]

A couple of Gap sweaters.  They're on sale 50% off today.  It's partially a gift for me too.  He has a few clothing items I would rather not see again because they're old and don't fit well.

[JFSinIL]

probably a suit - he needs one, but won't spend money on himself. DDs agree, if I get him a suit then he HAS to either keep it or trade it in for one he does like (since he will wear it for years). Some of his suits are 30ish years old.

[Caroline]

DH is getting a roomba, an iPad, the book Radio Free Vermont by Bill McKibben, and an Atlanta United quarter zip. I realize all of this is completely unhelpful to Jenny, but maybe not to someone else?

[Kassia]

My husband is getting a wireless rain gauge for Christmas.

 

I love this idea!  Thank you!

 

ETA - can you share a link?  I looked them up and can't find one with good reviews.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Kassia

[Kassia]

Driving Gloves with a super soft cashmere lining.  He has Reynaud's and it affects his hands, making it stupid painful to do things like hold the steering wheel when it's cold out.

 

Can you provide a link?

[JustEm]

DH is getting a roomba, an iPad, the book Radio Free Vermont by Bill McKibben, and an Atlanta United quarter zip. I realize all of this is completely unhelpful to Jenny, but maybe not to someone else?

I want a Roomba for Christmas!

[Spryte]

DH is getting a roomba, an iPad, the book Radio Free Vermont by Bill McKibben, and an Atlanta United quarter zip. I realize all of this is completely unhelpful to Jenny, but maybe not to someone else?

Brilliant! A roomba!

 

I’m going to check out that book, haven’t heard of it.

 

DH here wants home automation stuff. I’m clueless.

[EMS83]

If he likes meat, order a couple hundred $$ worth of New Braunfel's.  ETA: they have the best mustard, too.

If he likes mead, check out Dansk Mjod's Viking Blod.  

The Oculus Rift is pretty cool, if he's a gamer and can handle VR.  (AND HAS THE FREAKING SPACE FOR IT)  ahem, sorry.

 

That's all I've got that's noteworthy.  I can't use any of them this year, so I'm passing them on in case they're useful for someone else.

 

 

Oh actually, I got my dad a weather station last year; he gardens a lot.

 

Edited November 25, 2017 by CES2005

[AK_Mom4]

Can you provide a link?

Link to the gloves

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073PTDBJY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

FTR he is apparently also getting a new clock radio bc that is what he told DD16 he wanted.....

[mamamoose]

I bought handmade alpaca wool socks for dh last year. Sooooo soft and warm.

 

This year he’s getting a leatherman. I think.

[Peaceseeker]

Ok I love the gloves but I am totally confused by the sizing. How is a man's hand supposed to be 8-10" across? It says measure across the widest part of the hand excluding the thumb. I am assuming this means across the palm and not from wrist to fingertip but those measurements seem huge. My husband's are only like half of the size of the small- like 4" across and it says a small is 8" across. Help?? Are they adding both hands together? What am I doing wrong?

[Garga]

My dh doesn't like a lot of things either and his birthday is 4 days after Christmas. It's a biggie since he's turning 50. I asked the hive for help. I finally settled on taking him on a trip to caverns. He loves geology and there are some caverns nearby. We can get there and back in a day, but we'll make it an overnight trip.

 

So, maybe for the birthday or Christmas, you could come up with an experience rather than a gift?

[Jenny in Florida]

What role playing games does he play and is he open to trying new ones?

 

He plays a variety of paper-based gaming systems. He's played with the same group of folks for a few years now, more or less weekly. They rotate GM duties based on which member has something he's excited about running. So, there's not really an opportunity for gifting there, since the group follows its own whims.

[Jenny in Florida]

My dh is an introvert, and gives of himself to others lots and lots. He also works very long hours, so tries to fill up the kids when he's home. Sometimes, he just needs a little time to himself. If I gave him the gift of packing up the kids for a few hours, and letting him relax at home by himself, he'd be thankful. Maybe there's some way you could give him a gift of time, in a way that suits his personality.

 

We're almost-empty nesters these days. Our daughter launched herself over three years ago, and our son is in college and working and spending the bulk of any remaining hours he might have each day with his girlfriend. All of which means we're past the days of hands-on parenting. We both work full-time now, with schedules that don't completely align. So, each of us already has a good number of hours each week to ourselves.

[Jenny in Florida]

 

 

 I want to enjoy buying gifts for DH, but I don't.

 

Boy, can I relate to that statement!

[Jenny in Florida]

Try ThinkGeek for some gamer tshirts and desk chotkas.  

 

Unfortunately, we've pretty thoroughly explored both of those avenues over the last 20-ish years.

 

He literally has so much "cute" desk stuff that he has to keep some of it packed away and rotate stuff seasonally.

 

And he already owns at least twice the number of t-shirts as I have clothing in general.

[Jenny in Florida]

If he likes meat, order a couple hundred $$ worth of New Braunfel's.  ETA: they have the best mustard, too.

If he likes mead, check out Dansk Mjod's Viking Blod.  

The Oculus Rift is pretty cool, if he's a gamer and can handle VR.  (AND HAS THE FREAKING SPACE FOR IT)  ahem, sorry.

 

That's all I've got that's noteworthy.  I can't use any of them this year, so I'm passing them on in case they're useful for someone else.

 

 

Oh actually, I got my dad a weather station last year; he gardens a lot.

 

Mine's a vegetarian and eats mustard perhaps twice a year.

 

I've never heard him mention mead (except in the context of an occasional story about his wasted youth working Renaissance faires).

 

He does techy stuff at work, but can't be bothered to invest time or money in keeping up at home. Even his personal cell phone is something like four years old and wasn't the latest model when it was purchased. I'm familiar with the Oculus Rift because one of the guys I share space with at work runs programs using it. My son came in one day to test drive it and thought it was cool enough, but my husband showed really minimal interest.  

 

(I think part of the issue here is that he works for a well-known entertainment company headed by a Mouse and is probably spoiled by the toys he sees there.)

 

The lion's share of his gaming is paper-based, with real people, in our dining room.

 

These are just some of the reasons I refer to him as "impossible."

[Jenny in Florida]

My dh doesn't like a lot of things either and his birthday is 4 days after Christmas. It's a biggie since he's turning 50. I asked the hive for help. I finally settled on taking him on a trip to caverns. He loves geology and there are some caverns nearby. We can get there and back in a day, but we'll make it an overnight trip.

 

So, maybe for the birthday or Christmas, you could come up with an experience rather than a gift?

 

I'm so glad you found something you feel good about! That sounds like a perfect gift.

 

Mine has, as mentioned, few serious hobbies or interests, so not a lot around which to build an "experience." He also has some health issues that make such things challenging (a bad back that makes travel uncomfortable, anxiety that makes any hiccups in the plan extra-unpleasant, etc.).

[Penguin]

I am getting him an assortment of items from the three (thus far) colleges that we have poured money into. Baseball caps and T shirts and a cute stuffed animal of one of the mascots.

 

That, and some hobby specific stuff. I also bought this film poster as a family gift. Look around the website, they have some really neat stuff. Down the road, I want to get the gaming controllers poster for my son and the novels one for myself.

https://www.popchartlab.com/products/100-essential-films-scratch-off-chart

[KungFuPanda]

Ok I love the gloves but I am totally confused by the sizing. How is a man's hand supposed to be 8-10" across? It says measure across the widest part of the hand excluding the thumb. I am assuming this means across the palm and not from wrist to fingertip but those measurements seem huge. My husband's are only like half of the size of the small- like 4" across and it says a small is 8" across. Help?? Are they adding both hands together? What am I doing wrong?

Could it be centimeters? If they’re foreign made someone could’ve botched the translation in the measuring instructions.

[JustEm]

We're almost-empty nesters these days. Our daughter launched herself over three years ago, and our son is in college and working and spending the bulk of any remaining hours he might have each day with his girlfriend. All of which means we're past the days of hands-on parenting. We both work full-time now, with schedules that don't completely align. So, each of us already has a good number of hours each week to ourselves.

Look at a role playing game called Open Legend. It is pretty new(started as a Kickstarter.) It is an open source role playing game so all the material is free in PDF form u believe. You can also purchase the books but I believe they are still fulfilling the Kickstarter purchases.

 

I myself have not played it but many in my gaming community have and have really enjoyed it. Disclaimer: I am related to someone heavily involved in its creation. But our gaming community is highly critical so if they didn't like it during the test runs they would have let the creators know.

 

Just an idea, because I know how hard it can be to come up with new ideas that follow someone's interests

[EMS83]

Ok I love the gloves but I am totally confused by the sizing. How is a man's hand supposed to be 8-10" across? It says measure across the widest part of the hand excluding the thumb. I am assuming this means across the palm and not from wrist to fingertip but those measurements seem huge. My husband's are only like half of the size of the small- like 4" across and it says a small is 8" across. Help?? Are they adding both hands together? What am I doing wrong?

 

 

 

No you're supposed to measure around the widest part of the palm, like we do our waists.  :)

 

 

edited to quote the right person, sorry!

Edited November 25, 2017 by CES2005

[Jenn in FL]

I'm so glad you found something you feel good about! That sounds like a perfect gift.

 

Mine has, as mentioned, few serious hobbies or interests, so not a lot around which to build an "experience." He also has some health issues that make such things challenging (a bad back that makes travel uncomfortable, anxiety that makes any hiccups in the plan extra-unpleasant, etc.).

 

 

This may be a long shot gift idea, but I'm putting it out there anyway!  Desperate times call for desperate measures.  :laugh:

 

My husband also has back issues and has been through the gamut of evaluations, medications, and PT.  He has been living and functioning with chronic pain for literally years.  Travel (primarily sitting) has caused him great discomfort, which is rather problematic as he "works" in the travel industry and sits for long periods of time...9-10 hours every few days.

 

Someone on this board recently mentioned a support belt for the lower back.  I purchased one several months ago and my sweet husband has declared it to be life changing and the best present EVER. He now drives and flies virtually pain free.  Who knew? I wish I could credit and thank the unknown boardie who initially suggested it!

 

https://www.amazon.com/Serola-Sacroiliac-Hip-Belt-Medium/dp/B000NIFVLW/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1511627546&sr=8-3&keywords=serola%2Bsacroiliac%2Bhip%2Bbelt%2C%2Bmedium&th=1

 

Might be worth a look...