Mon 5 Feb 2007
Help a girl out, ladies. (and gentlemen, if you happen to be cruising the blog!)
I need some ideas about what to buy a guy (at any age) as a gift.
(Yes, I’ll admit, this question is spawned by the looming Valentine’s Day deadline - but I’m talking more in general.)
I’ve done web searches, flipped through my favorite gift-giving catalogs - but even redenvelope.com typically limits guys gifts to a monogrammed desk thingy or a monogrammed nightstand thingy or a monogrammed bathroom thingy - stop the insanity!
And don’t tell me to give a gift card or cash because “then they can get whatever they want.” Pppfffffttt.
To me, gift cards say “I didn’t want to give you cologne or a tie, soooo…..” (Of course, just one woman’s opinion - I know some will disagree and that’s cool…)
So, let me have it.
Tell me some good gifts for a friend, coworker, brother, father, fiance, husband - whatever. Because truthfully, I am so tired of explaining my last minute purchases with the “well, I never know what to get you!” line.
February 5th, 2007 at 3:42 pm
“Lobster Grams” are fun and usually catch the recipient off guard! The package typically comes with bib and crackers in tow
February 5th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
*snort* That is HYSTERICAL! Omigosh - how funny. Leave it to Jess to:
1) Be the first to post a comment
and
2) Come up with something I have NEVER heard of before!
BRAVO!
February 5th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
OOOooooo - I guess now would be a good opportunity to shamelessly promote myself (HEY - IT’S MY BLOG!) and say that you can always give the gift of photography - LOL
Seriously, though - a nice portrait from the engagement, wedding, or bridal for his office or something. OR a spot at our photo101 workshop. OR book a “little sexy me” session and give him a very private print box…
Or go with the Lobster Gram!
February 5th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Hahaha! Take him on a treasure hunt! Chris did that for me one time and it was so cute. You go to all the places you love and each clue leads you to the next. And at the end, the last one takes him to Victoria’s Secret. OH JUST KIDDING! You did want me to think like a man riiiight…
February 5th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Of course y’all did that, Em.
You two are too cute for your own good…
(*grumbles to self - ‘who has time to go about leaving clues all over the place?’ - forget it, I’m just gonna get a gift card…*)
LOL
February 5th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
hmm…Porn? (j/k)
Justin LOVES getting those cheese and sausage gift packages. I have to drag him past that aisle in wal-mart every christmas because he’ll just stand there and drool over them, yet he refuses to buy them for himself. I guess they just aren’t as good unless you get them as a gift. (Yeah, I know, I married a wierdo).
Good liquor is always a good gift for guys too (unless they don’t drink). Crown Special Reserve, Grey Goose, Hennessey, etc. I’d start stocking up on the gift sets the liquor stores sell at Christmas…but that husband of mine wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off them. =)
And for Martini drinkers there are these awesome olives with a jalepeno and a garlic clove stuffed in them…but you have to order them my the case from California. If you’re interested I’ll ask my uncle how to get them.
February 6th, 2007 at 3:03 am
sooooo what you’re saying Natalie, if I got that right, is that last weekend you married a drunk who loves cheesy porn & sausage?!
BWAHAHAHAHA!!
(… sorry. It’s late. I thought it was funny when I was typing it. Heh, heh.)
Some good ideas, ladies - you’re giving me lots to think about!
February 6th, 2007 at 3:12 am
That about sums it up.
I even had to buy him a shirt in Mexico that has a print of a sheet of notebook paper that looks to be pinned to the shirt and reads: “Please don’t give this man any beer. Thank you, His Spouse”
I guess you really can’t help who you love..
PS: you crack me up too
February 6th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Advice from a more mature, married stalker:
$$$$ - Helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon - we really “did it up” and landed for a champagne lunch. One of my husband’s favorite gifts ever (50th b-day).
$$$ - For your husband, a weekend getaway with you. For your dad, a weekend getaway with your mom. Also, lessons of some sort, i.e. golf, scuba-diving, archery, piano, woodworking, skiing, “photography”, sky-diving, etc… My husband enjoyed the scuba diving lessons I got him for his 40th b-day. He also would enjoy a deep sea fishing excursion.
$$ - Massage or facial. Tickets to the big game. Tickets to a concert (of course, these could go under the $$$ category sometimes). But tickets to Jimmy Buffet concert combined with eating at a restaraunt that serves “island-style” food before the concert would be fun.
$ - Subscription to National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian, Car & Truck magazine, or whatever the iterest level is. Or an extra-large bag of M&M’s. Also my husband likes those silly little commercial “things” to put on his desk at work that I wouldn’t be caught dead with…he’s especially fond of his “Biker Santa” who plays Born to Be While when you squeeze it’s belly.
Priceless - For your husband: Cook dinner (that’ll shock most of ‘em)– set the table with your REAL china & crystal, with cloth napkins, and candles. You can also (”choke”) give him total control of the remote for the day.
For your dad: Call him & ask him what’s going on at his end.
Hope this helps. Otherwise, you can go with Plan B, and send the Lobster Gram!
February 6th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Oops … Born to be Wild, not While!
February 6th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
WOW - I am impressed! The Porter women have some crazy gift-giving talent - now I know where Jessica came up with Lobster Grams!
Sheree, awesome advice! I love all of it. And you’re right - me cooking a big fancy pants dinner would absolutely shock Charles. There’s a running joke in there somewhere about my lack of culinary prowess…
This year I am at the concert level of giving, as we already have a few big trips on the calendar for 2007. I’m off to check the touring artist lineup now! Thanks for the idea!
February 6th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
Meg - Glad you like the ideas! As for the Porter household, being at post-wedding status, we’re at the large bag of M&M’s with our budget! Ha.
Enjoy!
February 6th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
You could give him the gift of cooking classes for yourself… =)
February 7th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
LOVE the magazine idea! I wish I could afford the grand canyon thing (COOL)!!
I also love the gifts that you can give to him and then enjoy partially yourself (dinner reservations, concert tickets, etc). Someone gave us some couples cooking classes as a wedding present and I LOVED that idea!
Then there’s always old faithful…lingere!!
February 8th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
Matt just got a Magellan RoadMate 2000 navigation system for his birthday!! All the Barker/Breeding men were drooling all over it
He even named it 
lol He loves that thing and I must admit it’s pretty cool. Seriously though…it comes with a kit (really easy) to suction to your windshield and you’ll never need map-quest again….she even talks.
February 8th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I just checked citcuit city and the Magellan RoadMate 2000 is on sale from 399 to 299…that’s even cheaper than it is on ebay!!!!
February 17th, 2007 at 1:06 pm
Well??? What did you get Charles for Valentine’s Day? After all the ideas and discussion, inquiring minds want to know!
February 20th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
Okay guy gifts from a guy perspective. Leave it to me to chime in almost a week after Valentine’s Day. (Way to go, me)
1. I have to give Meg the nod here, a little sexy time photo shoot from the future Mrs. would be WAY above average.
2. I just bought some Bose noise canceling headphones in preparation for our 16 some hours of honeymoon air travel. I know it makes no sense ladies but trust me your guy will love them.
3. Never underestimate the power of High Definition. TV’s or Camcorder’s.
4. Digital SLR camera for those who can’t afford to take Meg with them everywhere.
5. B.O.B. (Body Opponent Bag) - It is a punching bag shaped like a dude. Great for releasing wedding planning frustration, work frustration, family trying to plan your wedding frustration, work frustration and of course work frustration. Bonus - your man gets some exercise.
These were just right off the top of my head and I have a list somewhere if my advice is needed further. But a rule of thumb is that if you ladies think it is dumb and inappropriate it is probably perfect.
Please note that this is the opinion of one man and has nothing to do with me knowing I have a fiancee stalking this blog and me having a birthday coming up next month. No, this is for the benefit of all.
February 20th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
You guys are awesome! What great ideas.
Ryan, you win the award for funniest comment, I think! I had to call Charles while he was out running errands and read your post to him - I thought it was that great! Very nice to see a token male representative chiming in here - stick around! We like boys
And I am *totally* with you on the noise cancelling headphones! We are doing so much flying this year - and I just sit there and drool over the headphone ads in the SkyMiles catalogs… I saved some money for them, but decided to invest in an ipod upgrade instead! On our December trip to St Lucia I watched all the old episodes of Grey’s Anatomy over again!
Oh, and to answer Sheree - Charles and I actually came to an agreement this year over holidays. We decided that instead of doing little gifts for Valentines Day and our anniversary (in May) and my Bday (in August), etc - we were going to save up and do one larger mutual gift. SO EXCITED to share that we just booked a 7 day trip to NYC for late 2007!!!!! So that is the big splurge for the year - it’ll be a pretty sparse Christmas this year, heh heh - but we’ll have our memories of NYC to keep us warm!