<p>It’s that time of the year again: what to get DH for Xmas. Could you be so kind as to tell me some of the best gifts you’ve received? Maybe that will give me some good ideas… otherwise DH will get an electric razor and a sweater… snore…</p>
<p>grateful dead, crosby stills nash and young,or jimi hendrix cds. Its encoded in our y chromosome by generations of evolution that we must enjoy these musicians.</p>
<p>DH just got his first IPod Nano…he’s getting I Tunes gift cards.</p>
<p>My H likes to get small bits of speciality foods. So, special chocolates, different kinds of chutney, mustards, you name it. Makes for great stocking stuffers, as long as I remember to hang the stocking high away from our two canines.</p>
<p>Best gifts for my dad: iPod (and lessons on how to use it), subscription to The Economist, books (especially histories), shirts, wool socks, natural soaps, nuts. </p>
<p>The one really cool gift we’ve done for him is “adopted” a baby orphaned elephant in Kenya. The animals are not in zoos (they have 8000 sq miles), but they have human keepers who live with and care for them and they also get veterinary care. The humans act as the infant elephants’ families, but by the age of 10 all of them are back to living independently in the wild. They have raised sixty baby elephants through adulthood who otherwise would have died. My dad gets long, detailed email updates and pictures every month about his specific animal as well as other animals in the wildlife preserve. If your husband likes animals (especially elephants or rhinos), it’s a really enjoyable gift that helps the animals at the same time: [Adopt</a> an Elephant Orphan - Foster an Elephant or Rhino Orphan](<a href=“Orphans / Adopt an Orphan”>Orphans / Adopt an Orphan). The cool thing is that my dad has actually seen “his” elephant in Kenya before while on a trip there.</p>
<p>If you get itunes gift cards-- they sell them discounted at Costco in packs of 4- $15 cards for $56. They also sell 4- $20 starbucks cards for $80. They are great gifts.</p>
<p>A general suggestion (particularly if others are available to chip in to help cover the cost): something that is softer and more luxurious to the touch–a high quality cashmere sweater or scarf (be careful, though, as the word “cashmere” is applied to things that vary considerably in quality), a pima cotton sweater or sweatshirt or shirt, etc.–than (virtually) anything else he currently has. (In other words, indulge him in a fashion that he might well not indulge himself.)</p>
<p>I usually get my H a book- since he buys all the tools and tool boxes he wants.
( first he buys the tools, then a new tool box because the old one is overflowing, but then the new box looks too empty, so it needs more tools, but then it is overflowing, repeat)</p>
<p>But I know that he would be entertained by
[Stupid.com:</a> Gag Gifts, Funny Gifts, Cool and Cheap Stuff](<a href=“http://www.stupid.com/]Stupid.com:”>http://www.stupid.com/)</p>
<p>I also love hendrix- for those in Seattle- you may want to stop by
and meet the nicest musician in rock.</p>
<p>My husband would hate many of the suggested gifts. He hates getting sweaters. We joke that is what he gets from his mother.
My husband is frugal and doesn’t often buy things for himself. Does your husband have a sport or hobby. We like to get my H things he will use. Gifts he has liked. Bag for his surfboard, Booties for surfing. Socks, nice long underwear for snowboarding. A new beach volleyball. One year a skateboard. My kids like to get him cooler items versus what he picks for himself. H usually makes his choice by price. Kids have gotten him cooler tennis shoes, nicer flip flops.
This year he will get new slippers (his are falling apart). A neoprene hood for surfing. And if I decide to get him a big gift possibly a snowboard bag. Plus some little items.</p>
<p>Last year we gave him noise cancelling headphones. He said he didn’t need them but has enjoyed having them.
Also thinking about getting a few new nicer flashlights. Somehow most of them seem to have wandered away.</p>
<p>Best gift I ever bought for my husband- a chainsaw.</p>
<p>My Husband is very conscious of having, or maybe having, too much “stuff.” Makes gift-giving a challenge.</p>
<p>BUT for the first time in 4 decades, he has actually gained a little weight. :eek: So those jeans and cords that have become a bit too tight…makes Santa’s job a bit easier this year!</p>
<p>My husband is getting guitar hero for the wii, some mag flashlights and a wireless thermometer set.</p>
<p>thank you – love some of these ideas, the elephant and chainsaw in particular! Please keep those suggestions coming. In the past his favorite gifts included a giant racquet bag (he’s a squash player) a case of mixed wines, and a cuisinart (he likes to cook.) He doesn’t have an Ipod, but does have an MP3 player that’s compatible with Rhapsody (online music source.) And like mafool’s H, he’s not into “stuff” – sigh.</p>
<p>oh yes, Onward, the wireless thermometor was a hit. </p>
<p>I’d get the guy a GPS, but he would consider it an insult!</p>
<p>Sort of like [The</a> Doghouse](<a href=“http://www.jcpenney.com/doghouse]The”>404 Not Found) in reverse</p>
<p>When we were first married we pulled names with my siblings and their spouses. One year my ex BIL pulled my H. My H was shocked Christmas morning to open a chain saw. Shocked at the generosity. It is still my H’s favorite gift of all time.</p>
<p>My mother gets me a bag of those orange slices candy, which cost less than a dollar, and I’m perfectly satisfied with that.</p>
<p>ucsd ucla dad- my H would be satisfied with that gift as well. He hates getting presents. He would prefer to eliminate the practice for good.</p>
<p>I’m giving DH a Kindle–I think he’ll love it!</p>
<p>^^ I’m currently reading a 1000 page book that even though it’s soft cover, it’s heavy and therefore clumsy to read in bed where I do a lot of reading. I was thinking that reading it on a kindle might be nicer since it’d be lighter. Also, I can’t stand to travel without a book at all times and have run out before. A kindle would allow carrying lots of books without the weight. I think it’d be a good idea if your H is a reader like me.</p>
<p>What book is it, ucdad?</p>