Okay, my title says it all. H turns 59 this week. He buys anything he wants when he wants it and does not offer suggestions for his birthday. He doesn’t like to eat out much or travel. I am hoping for something consumable that can be used up and it is gone. He doesn’t need more stuff unless it’s something he can use a lot.
Ideas, please!
A dumpster for a week so he can clean out 
We gave my husband the Craft Beer of the Month Club. We did it for 6 months…about $250 including the shipping. 12 bottles each month…four different beers. And different every month.
You can do it for less time duration too. Just google it.
It would help to give some indication of his interests.
What about a nice multi-frame for his desk with a picture of you, a picture of you as a couple and one of the kids. That’s not consumable, but might be meaningful.
How about tickets to a show or concert or sports event? That’s consumable.
He is interested in gardening, sports, music (10K CD collection). We attend summer theater and have tickets already. Sports event might be doable. S1 will have some ideas. Thanks!
Gift certificate from White Flower Farm
what is your budget?
For example, I am buying a car for my own BD in a few days.
Regarding post 6…not unless you get a great deal!
And the OP wants something that is consumable…which a car is NOT.
Budget: up to $200 or so.
New car is out. I get the next one.
How about a gift card for a local garden center? I got one for H for Christmas and he was happy.
I wonder if he used it to buy my hanging baskets for Mother’s Day…
Would he use an iTunes card?
The people I know who are really into music are talking about the new Smithsonian Folkways Lead Belly boxed set. It is a five CD set of career-spanning Lead Belly recordings with a book that is supposed to be great. I think it just came out recently.
Something personal like a massage?
How about renting a super luxury car for a day…
How about a kindle so that he doesn’t buy anymore books, magazines, etc.
K1 Speed or a similar experience with the kids?
Thanks for the ideas:
Luxury car rental: H would never do. The upgrade to an Accord was painful, but when he totaled the Civic on an icy highway, he decided to splurge.
K1speed: maybe, but we don’t have anything too close.
Kindle: he would NEVER stop his subscriptions and loves the library too much.
Garden certificate: possibly, though he just headed off to the grocery store to check out the hostas that can’t wait 5 days.
Massage: never. I cut his hair because drop-in salons are hit or miss and he doesn’t want to make an appt.
Lead Belly: just asked if he had heard of the group, said no, too Southern and nothing he would want to own (without even asking if he WOULD like to own the set).
Sport tickets are sounding the best. We have an arena and AAA baseball club an hour away. But, I am still open to more ideas. He bought himself a small video camera 12 days ago because he needed it then, so you see what I am up against.
For H’s 54th birthday, I bought him a flying lesson on Groupon. The $99 covered an hour of ground instruction, and an hour in the air. When H contacted the teacher, he offered an upgrade so that I could go along for the flight portion of the lesson. It was actually quite cool. H had always expressed an interest in wanting to learn more about flying, but not enough that he’d want to take a lot of lessons, and eventually buy a plane. This was the perfect compromise. You’d just need to find a small airport near you and call them and inquire what one lesson would cost.
How about a 23andme kit? I’m getting one for a relative who doesn’t need any more stuff.
Regarding gardening stuff, I found a cute birdhouse covered in moss yesterday at my local cactus place. I told my husband I’m saving my money for that. My husband and I enjoy the birds that come to our garden. We don’t stay mad at each for long after one come to perch at our water fountain. Fascinating. My husband already have big and excellent binoculars to see them but maybe I should be saving money for his and her binoculars so we don’t have to share.
I just had a surprise BD for mine who was turning 60.
It was actually before his BD, so he * was * surprised!
I am really into gardening, but I also don’t mind traveling if I can have drugs on the plane, so some of my best trips have been to parts of the country where they have different plants!
If you have botanical gardens near you, what about a tour or a lecture series?
Leadbelly is too southern? That’s like saying Paul McCartney is too English.
what kind of music does he like?
I will travel to hear a good concert, but in the summertime, there may be something local he would enjoy.
At least I’m getting some ideas from this thread! I love the 23andmekit, and the Leadbelly suggestions!