So…. you know how I wrote that blog post about Balance? Well, a big priority for me this year is to focus on my marriage.
One of my big love languages is gift giving, but if I’m to be honest, I’ve really let that slide recently where my husband is concerned. I was so stressed-out and busy before Christmas that it was all I could manage to organise presents for the kids before we went away. Hubby got an “experience gift”, but it was given in a bit of a half-hearted manner, and there was nothing for him to actually unwrap under the tree on Christmas morning. My next plan was to take him shopping for our anniversary a few days later, but that didn’t end up happening either. Whomp-whomp.
So that’s why my thoughts have turned lately to Valentine’s Day, which is only 2 weeks away after all.
I don’t know about you, but when you’ve been married to someone for 14 years like I have, it’s easy to get into a gift-giving rut. The usual T-shirts and golf-balls and socks have all been done to death. We’re no longer struggling newlyweds, and anything Stephen really wants throughout the year, he is pretty much able to go and buy for himself. So that leaves me a bit stymied in the present department.
I decided this year to start early and really have a good look around for something unique and creative that would be meaningful to Stephen. Of course, that’s easier said than done during school holidays with three kids to tow around from shop to shop. Not to mention that I didn’t have a clue what I was looking for.
Thank God for the internet.
Turns out, there is heaps of cool stuff out there. Quirky, fun, useful, meaningful and unique stuff that I think my hubby would really, really like, but that he wouldn’t necessarily think to buy for himself. Stuff that (*cue singing angels*) can be ordered online with a few clicks while the children are asleep and I’m wearing my pyjamas and eating chocolate ice-cream.
Now THAT sounds FAR more appealing to me than enacting a repeat of our last shopping trip, which involved impromptu sibling wrestling matches in Aisle 3 and a sanity-shattering toddler meltdown at the checkout.
Mothers everywhere, let us pause in a moment of profound gratitude for the inventor of online shopping.
I had so much fun searching out cool gift ideas that I decided to put together a gift guide for anyone else in need of inspiration for the man in their life. I can’t be the only one who gets stuck for ideas, right? I hope you find something here to spoil your special guy, whether it’s for Valentine’s Day, a birthday or just to say “I love you”.
All retailers are U.S. based, but ship worldwide (including to Australia!)
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1/ Scratch Map
: Use a coin to scratch away countries you’ve visited and reveal the colours underneath. We love travelling as a couple, and have seen a fair bit of the globe together. We’ve often talked about coming up with a way to celebrate and remember the places we’ve been, but our ideas have always seemed kinda cheesy. I think this is the bomb.2/ Pick Punch: Does your man like to strum a guitar? I’ll bet he can never find his pick when he needs one. This is the best invention ever for music-loving types. It enables you to punch a pick out of old membership cards and credit cards. Stephen already has one of these, and he LOOOOOVES it, swears by it, and uses it all the time.
3/ Past, Present, Future Watch: We’re all trying to live more in the moment… so this watch only shows the present time. Now that’s a meaningful gift. Nice sleek, minimalist design, too.
4/ Batman First Issue Comic Book Cover Cufflinks: For the MARVEL-ous man in your life… (te he)
5/ Driftwood iPhone Charging Dock: Because everyone should charge their phone in a log. (How perfect would this look on a manly office desk??)
6/ Personalized LP Record: Choose your names and up to 5 songs significant to you as a couple. Float-mounted on glass, it looks pretty darn awesome and is super sentimental to boot. I would very much like to see this hanging on the wall of hubby’s music studio.
7/ Sole Sox: Does your man fancy a foot-rub? These anatomically correct socks show all the pressure points on your feet for the perfect massage.
8/ Tom Carter Voyager Watch: This is one good-looking watch. I love the black and white dual-tone thing it has going on – the perfect blend of hip, sophisticated, and kinda sporty. Your man could equally wear it to the gym or to a fancy dinner.
9/ Unzipped Glass Zipper Bag: Chocolate and lollies are the lovers’ gift of choice, right? Be unique and stick ’em in something cool. Like this funky glass ziplock bag. It’s like an art object filled with jellybeans.
10/ Personalized Couple Art: Well, this is just sweet. Fulfill all your lifelong ambitions to be a whimsical long-legged line drawing, with your partner right by your side. Romantic, with a nice understated design… I like it.
11/ Vintage Typewriter Key Cufflinks: Made with authentic vintage typewriter keys set in sterling silver. Select any combination of letters for a personalised gift – your husband’s initials? Yours and his together? Sweet and discreet.
12/ Seat Buckle Belt – Volkswagen: I don’t know, I can’t stop looking at this. If my hubby were really into cars I would totally give him a seatbelt-belt. He is my lovebug, after all.
13/ Double Money Clip: My husband has a money clip and it changed his life. No more wallet bulge in the jeans pocket. He loves it and won’t use anything else. But it is tricky to load up too many cards and too much cash or you risk something coming loose. Now THIS is a smart idea I’ve never seen before: a double-sided money clip for double the storage capacity. It may look small, but I know for one my man would truly use and appreciate this thoughtful gift!
14/ Skyline of Love: Personalise this canvas with your names and the skyline of a city that’s significant to you both. Choose from any U.S. city or a huge list of cities worldwide. (Including Brisbane, Sydney and the Gold Coast.)
Let’s chat: Please tell me I’m not the only one who gets stuck coming up with new present ideas for the man in my life. Are there any gifts on this list that catch your eye? Who else here has “gift-giving” as their love language?
Definitely NOT the only one who struggles for gifts for your man! I stupidly married mine on his birthday thinking he'd have no excuse for forgetting, but of course it also means that i have to come up with two lots of gifts – a real tuffy the longer we've been together. Unfortunately, I think the only idea from your list that would grab him is the punch for plectrums, although he's pretty organised with his music stuff and can usually lay his hand on one, but I think he'd like the novelty. Meanwhile, for Christmas this year I treated him to a really expensive double edged razor (the old fashioned sort) with a top of the range shaving brush and drip rest so that they stay in good condition. He was really pleased with it, and now enjoys his shave more each day, so the birthday/wedding anniversary gifts this year are his favourite shaving soaps/ aftershave etc.
Hope others reply with ideas, and will be watching for inspiration.
Judi in the UK
Love the old-fashioned razor idea! Thanks for sharing, Judi! xo
Definitely NOT the only one who struggles for gifts for your man! I stupidly married mine on his birthday thinking he'd have no excuse for forgetting, but of course it also means that i have to come up with two lots of gifts – a real tuffy the longer we've been together. Unfortunately, I think the only idea from your list that would grab him is the punch for plectrums, although he's pretty organised with his music stuff and can usually lay his hand on one, but I think he'd like the novelty. Meanwhile, for Christmas this year I treated him to a really expensive double edged razor (the old fashioned sort) with a top of the range shaving brush and drip rest so that they stay in good condition. He was really pleased with it, and now enjoys his shave more each day, so the birthday/wedding anniversary gifts this year are his favourite shaving soaps/ aftershave etc.
Hope others reply with ideas, and will be watching for inspiration.
Judi in the UK
Love the old-fashioned razor idea! Thanks for sharing, Judi! xo
I too, struggle finding gifts for my man. My favourite is the log iPhone charges, that made me giggle!
Leah
http://theshelfsociety.blogspot.co.uk
I too, struggle finding gifts for my man. My favourite is the log iPhone charges, that made me giggle!
Leah
http://theshelfsociety.blogspot.co.uk
I'm glad I'm not the only one! š
I'm glad I'm not the only one! š
Aren't guys just tough on the pressie front? It really is so, so hard to find a great gift (please, don't ask what I gave him for Christmas, it's really the worst. Oh maybe after ties and socks, but you get the picture…)
Are you talking about the 5 love languages (http://amzn.com/080241270)? Read it – Epiphany ensued! (Though gift-giving is not "my" language, I still love to give significant and thoughtful gifts š )
Aren't guys just tough on the pressie front? It really is so, so hard to find a great gift (please, don't ask what I gave him for Christmas, it's really the worst. Oh maybe after ties and socks, but you get the picture…)
Are you talking about the 5 love languages (http://amzn.com/080241270)? Read it – Epiphany ensued! (Though gift-giving is not "my" language, I still love to give significant and thoughtful gifts š )
Yes, that's the one, Marei! Cool that the book gave you a lightbulb moment. š
Yes, that's the one, Marei! Cool that the book gave you a lightbulb moment. š