When it comes to a gift for my wife... I receive an EPIC FAIL!

Dysons are amazing. Kellie already owns one. I didn't believe the hype, but I've run the Dryson over a carpet that I vacuumed with my Optimus. Got a huge amount of crud. I also like the bagless feature, as I cannot get bags for my Optimus and will have to junk it when the last bag is used. Can't find any other bag that fits.

My SWMBO tells me what she wants, and I usually don't mess that up. I cannot surprise her for the life of me anyway, she's way too nosy and I'm a terrible liar, at least to her...

This year, she wants her own pool cue. On top of that, I'm going to get her a gift cert to pearl paint so she can start painting again as a surprise, but she'll probably find out before the 24th...

Well we can't afford to buy each other expensive cars like on TV but every year I pretty much buy her one "big" gift ($200ish) and then I can't help but buy her a bunch of those seasonal socks you see with x-mas trees, candy canes, etc on them. She hasn't complained except when they are too high, not low cut. I then go to the grocery store and buy all kinds of fruits, berries, nuts, seeds, cheeses, cured meats, cans of sardines and such, beef jerky and whatever else I can think of and fill two large stockings with it all. Usually comes to $150-$200 believe it or not. She has actually said this is always one of her favorite gifts each year.

I just got laid off though with my last day New Years Eve (yeah!!!) so we won't be spending even that much this year.

Mine has always liked looking for stuff washed up on the beach, on the side of the road, in the woods etc and she always said she thought a metal detector would be neat so I brought her fairly decent one. To this day the only thing she found was the nails in the floor of our living room.

My wife's a caffeine junky so a coffee related gadget is always my fall back if I can't think of anything else.

david_42 said:

Dysons are amazing. Kellie already owns one. I didn't believe the hype, but I've run the Dryson over a carpet that I vacuumed with my Optimus. Got a huge amount of crud. I also like the bagless feature, as I cannot get bags for my Optimus and will have to junk it when the last bag is used. Can't find any other bag that fits.

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I feel the same way about Eden Pure heaters. When we got one I was very sceptical (Fu#K the spellchecker, I spell that with a C)

They are GREAT! Economic, efficient, safe and small for the effect they have.

Just the other day I watched one of their infomercials just out of curiosity as we already have one. It was really strange, I was watching the kind of thing I normally avoid like the plague and heard myself actually agreeing with ALL the "Customer testimonies"

I just hate when my marketing prejudices are proven unfounded!

http://www.etsy.com/

A good place to find one of a kind and handcrafted items. I got most of my small gifts this year from etsy.

it sounds like she is setting you up to fail. if she cant tell you what she wants then she should be happy with what you get her. my x and i agreed what we would spend total then we would get our own presents. yeh iknow its not all that romantic but we got wht we wanted and didnt waste time and money. on top of that her family was amazed how we were able to pick the right presents. it took them 15 years to figure it out and when they did i was told it was cheating but very smart

always.. always..ask her what she wants. example...my wife wants opal earrings. i just asked her.

Some advice from a 24-year veteran who has made all the mistakes:

For Christmas, don't buy appliances. No sweepers, powered self-cleaning catboxes, mixers. Girls want to be pampered now. So, here's some winners from my past (I've also tried sweepers and catboxes):

• Jewelry is tough. They rarely have a problem with the gem; it's the setting that they don't like. Consider going to a small jewelry shop and just buying gems. They will have some loose gems, and they can get more (they get them on consignment). Give her the gems, in a box, then let her pick out the setting. I.e., I picked out the most purple tanzanite stones, then my wife got to choose some loopy earing settings. the jewelry store was happy to set them. She cried (yes, it's true). I've done the same with diamonds.
• Pamper time. Find a nice day spa and buy her her a day there. They usually include foot massage, painting toenails, and a bunch of other girly stuff I that I have no idea about. Now, here's the catch: you need to contact her best friend's husband, and have him give her best friend the same thing. They go together. You take care of everything else (i..e, kids) and she spends the day getting treated like the princess she is.
• Warm stuff. Girls (at least my skinny one) are always cold. Clothing is hard, but the following is easy, and if it keeps them warm, they'll love you for it: furry slippers, monogrammed heavy bath robe, heavy blanket to go over the other pile of blankets they already use, ear muffs, furry mittens, flannel pajamas. Most of these are easy to size, have timeless fashion, and if you keep her warm it shows you care.

Good luck.

fineexampl said:

always.. always..ask her what she wants. example...my wife wants opal earrings. i just asked her.

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I asked my wife and she said, "I want some of those 1 second needles."

Is she kidding, I might as well buy her a power saw. At least I'd have something to use when I end up living in the garage.

Never buy them clothes except a pair of gloves or maybe a scarf. This is the only thing I've learned in 37 years of marriage. I thought I might get her an remote car starter this year but prices are higher than I thought. So now I am stuck with no clue.

Be selfish. Buy something you like. Odds are that she'll dislike whatever you buy, regardless of your effort. At least this way, you'll still have something nice for yourself after the ensuing fight.

Yuri_Rage said:

Be selfish. Buy something you like. Odds are that she'll dislike whatever you buy, regardless of your effort. At least this way, you'll still have something nice for yourself after the ensuing fight.

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Yep. I got Bob a trailcam this year. I've wanted one for a LONG time, and I figured that I could give it to him as a gift.

Well, it came just today in a box from Amazon with some books I ordered for my grandson. He opened it, never considering Christmas, and is delighted with his board books!

J/k- he loves the trail Cam and now I get to buy the batteries, put in the memory card and go set it up in the words tomorrow.

passedpawn said:

[*]Warm stuff. Girls (at least my skinny one) are always cold. Clothing is hard, but the following is easy, and if it keeps them warm, they'll love you for it: furry slippers, monogrammed heavy bath robe, heavy blanket to go over the other pile of blankets they already use, ear muffs, furry mittens, flannel pajamas. Most of these are easy to size, have timeless fashion, and if you keep her warm it shows you care.
[/LIST]

Good luck.

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This man speaks the truth. My girlfriend is always, always, walways cold. Soft blankets and slippers are a hit.

Note to older guys: if your woman has entered menopause, following the abve advice might get you the "I hate you but I'll feign enjoyment instead" look comes Christmas.

Ha- let me tell you about my fail

Last year I took my girlfriend to a jewelry store around the middle of December to pick something nice out, or at least let her drop a few hints at what she wanted.

I didn't think anything of it. I had done it the previous year, and she had let me choose between two pretty pearl necklaces. Nothing different right? I thought I had made it clear when I emphasized, "same thing as last year, let's meet at the jewelry store..."

We met, and she was abnormally giddy. Whatever. I had been working a piss-ton and I was thinking she was hoping she could spend a little more than last year. She waltzed around the store, then told me I could pick out whatever I wanted with a goofy ass grin. "Huh? You're no help!" She walked outside, and I followed.

Apparently because it was the third year we were dating (why does the third year matter?) she thought I had met her there to look at engagement rings. I made it a little too clear that was not the reason that we were there, then she started balling in the parking lot. Ugh. Later on she said she thought I was acting nervous and assumed I had been working a lot to pay for an engagement ring. Women are savages.

For a quasi happy ending, I told her to shove it and turned around and bought her a nice emerald necklace. Again, women are savages.

I'm not sure what I am doing for her this Christmas holiday, but I am staying away from jewelry. That crap is way overpriced.

gicts said:

(...) she had let me choose between two pretty pearl necklaces.

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I know wich pearl necklace to choose. Every time.

Seriously, I second your post. Jewlery is for chumps, unless you can fork the really big bucks (think 4 figures). No point on dropping 500$ for a earrings when a nice dinner and backrub can accomplish the same thing at half the price.

jfr1111 said:

I know wich pearl necklace to choose. Every time.

Seriously, I second your post. Jewlery is for chumps, unless you can fork the really big bucks (think 4 figures). No point on dropping 500$ for a earrings when a nice dinner and backrub can accomplish the same thing at half the price.

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Yea, she didn't care for the "I gave your mom a pearl necklace too!" comment. The prices are so off the way, I feel like they are just preying on us poor boys.

Sean said:

Every woman on the planet loves flannel pajamas from Victoria Secret.

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My SWMBO hates Victoria's Secret because they don't sell stuff in her size. She's like 4'11" and 80 pounds. The smallest size they sell is still several inches too big.

Honestly, Victoria's Secret bras are crap and they don't hold up to much use. I know guys don't really think about that, but it is a consideration.

I have to agree with the jewelry post. El Hubbo knows that I don't care for the **** advertised on TV and won't go near a chain jewelry store. And "chocolate diamonds"? WTF are they thinking? I don't want to wear something that grew in a lab and was developed to be an industrial abrasive.

They are just playing on poor guys like the OP who feel desperate to do something "special".

I think the idea of buying loose gems is fantastic, however! And it gives your local skilled jeweler a chance to strut his/her skill.

Original intent in 2008 was to keep pricing reasonable. And I was reading along and enjoying all suggestions - I, too, fail miserably. Last year I bought diamond earrings - she's never worn them....

but this year, knowing the hop-head she is (she eats them when we make beer) - I had some custom jewelry made:




I think she'll like it.
If not, I'll hang it over my kegerator!

Hang Glider said:

Original intent in 2008 was to keep pricing reasonable. And I was reading along and enjoying all suggestions - I, too, fail miserably. Last year I bought diamond earrings - she's never worn them....

but this year, knowing the hop-head she is (she eats them when we make beer) - I had some custom jewelry made:

I think she'll like it.
If not, I'll hang it over my kegerator!

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Does the jewler have an email. That is nice.

PM me if you want more info on that - but they're out of New Zealand, so you probably won't make it for this Christmas. But 2011 birthday, etc, yeah, could be done...

Awesomest jewellery ever!!!

I'm not usually great at giving. She reads a lot so the tech head I am got her a B&N Nook E-reader. Hope she likes it. She wanted a wine fridge or a small LCD tv for the bedroom.. She likes the big gifts. I put the kabash to the ring for this year. Most likely next year that one will happen.. I always feel like a selfish prick this time of year. The women always know what to get us men.

CoalCracker said:

The women always know what to get us men.

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And it doesn't cost them anything except five minutes of their time!





I mean, err..........

Yeah, luckily I have a fall-back for my lady, which is of course, booze! (Kettle one is her favorite) - it's a win win, she gets to drink something she likes, I'm slightly less annoying to her when she's drinking, everybody is happy! Wish I had some other things to get her, I mean she does scrap booking, so I can always give her a gift cert to AC moore, but I wish I could get her something that was more personal than booze and essentially money. I myself am pretty easy to buy for - Beer, beer related item or brewing equipment/supplies, wine, wine related item or wine making supplies/equipment, tequila, tequila related item or a still!!!!!!! note: i do not condone the act of, or partake of, the distilation of that ever so tasty and illeagle brew known as everclear or moonshine; as I've mentioned I don't own a still

edit: that is an awesome necklace, maybe you could get a set of matching earrings made next year?

frankly speaking that i don't like shopping and always think it as a waste of time
maybe you are too busy that you don't know what your wife like
you can ask her best friends for help

the_bird said:

And it doesn't cost them anything except five minutes of their time!





I mean, err..........

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Obviously, you are including shower time afterward.

BURN! lol

SPR-GRN said:

edit: that is an awesome necklace, maybe you could get a set of matching earrings made next year?

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Yeah, that's the plan. She doesn't wear much jewelry, but I think this one will work - she remembers seeing something like it about 5 or 6 years ago, and mentioned it the other day - I nearly busted out..."yes, dear, I remember that - it's hiding in my desk drawer NOW"

so if she wears it, she'll get earrings to match next year. maybe b-day, so she can wear the whole shebang to Denver (GABF) next year.

I got my wife the coolest vacuum cleaner this year, I think she'll really like it.. Really, it is coool.

Sean said:

I got my wife the coolest vacuum cleaner this year, I think she'll really like it.. Really, it is coool.

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Dual bag?

ChshreCat said:

Dual bag?

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Whoa, that's kind of a personal question.

ChshreCat said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Twivg7GkYts

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Oh I forgot about that. One of the best ever.

Seriously, though, that dbl bagger was sweet.

I asked for a list, and she actually sent one of the perfumes she likes. She's leaving for Cali tomorrow so we won't do much Christmas here. Just one small gift each, then everything else in January.

Which gives me time to actually finish her present before she gets back!

B

I have it so easy. The only time one of us goes out on our own and buys a gift for the other for christmas is if one of us has told the other exactly what we want. Usually, it's easier than that. We'll be at costco or somewhere, see something we like and say "You're getting me this for christmas" while picking it up and putting it in the cart. No fuss. No muss. No waiting until christmas or dropping hints that might not be picked up on. She sees it, we buy it, I say merry christmas sweetheart and it's done.

I haven't yet had to ask my fiance for gift ideas yet. I did ask her best friend the first Christmas to get pointed in the right direction. Fortunately, spending time together is the best gift for her so instead of buying her something I plan out a day for us to spend together and pay for everything. It works out really well because she gets her quality time with me, plus getting to do something awesome and romantic and I get something good out of it, too. It usually takes a handful of hours to find good deals on stuff and put the plans together, but there's no driving to busy stores, fighting with traffic and no worries about shipping getting delayed. I don't know if it comes across like I whipped it together in an hour or spent days on it, but it goes over really well. It makes all her friends really jealous.

With prior gals I've had less positive results. I've had mixed results buying jewelry and terrible results buying clothes (except lingerie) so I never buy either of those unless I've been shown something specific.

I get her 2 gifts, one that she wants and the one I want to give her. I'm able to get what she wants just by listening to her throughtout the year which usually gives me time to get the best price on it.