I’m just coming up empty here. My Wife’s Birthday is Aug 22. She’ll be 45. I usually have at least one good idea for a gift.
I had a good idea, a new pillow. She likes those foam neck supporter pillows, she really likes them, and our new dog ate hers a couple of weeks ago. She just bought one for herself. So that’s out.
Previous gifts. –
Monthly flowers delivered to work for 6 months.
Watch
Heart rate monitor (she’s a runner)
Car detailing certificate.
Clothes. (I think she would rather pick out her own. But sometimes I pick a real winner)
Jewelry. (sort of a cop out in my opinion. And she just isn’t into jewelry. She wears ear rings, and that’s about it.)
Bicycle speedometer/odometer
MP3 player (she doesn’t seem to use it)
I’d like it to be < $100 us. We don’t usually get extravagant.
And most of our budget is going to the house addition these days.
Some things about us. Married 8 years. Anniversary gifts are usually easy, we ‘shop’ together for either a piece of art, or something we both need. We go camping once a year for our anniversary on some property that we own.
When either of us needs something, we buy it. That’s what’s kind of tough. I can’t think of anything she would really want.
What are some fun gifts you have given or received?
Good idea. Or maybe a manicure/pedicure. She does like a massage. And buys them for hereself.
A nice pen? Huh. I never would have though of that. She does have a desk (cube) job and is pretty well organized at work…I doubt a nice pen would be safe in our house. Two many rogue pens running around.
Does she like to read? Maybe the new hardback by her favorite author (instead of waiting for a paperback or the library copy), or a nice glossy art book?
I once set out to order “the world’s best pillow” as a birthday gift for a friend. This was the pillow I ordered. The “down” side was that the pillow did not arrive in time for the birthday, and furthermore, did not arrive in time for Christmas a month later. When the pillows finally did arrive, I decided to try them out. All I can say now is, “Screw my friend – you will have to pry my pillows out of my cold dead hands.”
I always take my pillows when travelling, and there’s always a fight in the car over who gets to use them. Many have tried to con me out of one of my pillows, but it just ain’t gonna happen.
Should you decide to order these, get the “medium” not the “soft” (there’s no “hard”). They feel kind of mushy at first, but it’s something you quickly grow to love.
I wouldn’t have thought I needed a hypo-allergenic pillow, but I’ve found I breathe better while sleeping since I got one.
If she likes the foamy pillow, may I recommend a buckwheat hull pillow?
A basic link I’ve had my original one that I bought off of QVC in a moment of weakness and Ebay hadn’t been invented yet over 12 years ago. I bought a 40# bag of buckwheat hulls and made a buttload of pillows for myself and my kids.
Some people would find this a terrible gift, but I like magazine subscriptions. A gift that lasts a whole year! A friend got me one dedicated to books once; it was really thoughtful since I love to read. I just asked my in-laws for “Cooks Illustrated” for my upcoming birthday.
I liked the massage/pedicure certificates I’ve gotten. A pen would go over huge with me. So those are both excellent ideas IMHO.
Another oddball gift I loved: a really super nice watering can (Haws, made in England). It’s monstrously huge, a serious garden implement (although I also got an adorable little model to go with it) and I love it. The neighbors remark upon it when I’m outside watering my containers.
My husband (then boyfriend) once got me my own bowling ball. It was both funny and touching. That’s when I suspected we were in for the long haul (I’m still a terrible bowler though).
Maybe a cooking class (if she wouldn’t take it as an unfavorable editorial comment on her culinary efforts)? A dance class (swing, ballroom, etc) you guys would attend together?
One of my friends always puts together baskets for gifts. She picks a theme and then picks out things that go with. It shows a lot of time, thought and work, and the amount of money spent on it can be anywhere from trival on up.
If you were to take the pen route, you could get a fountain pen, ink, stationary, ect.
Or you said she was a runner, so you could get her a subscription to Runners World, or whatever, new socks, wrists bands, earmuffs for the winter.
Or if she has a favorite place or dream vacation spot, you could recreate it, with foods, tour/art books, maybe a soundtrack.
I’ve done the magazine subscription thing before. It is a nice idea, I’ll usually get it to go allong with something else.
She may start training for an Iron Man, so I asked her flat out if there is anything she needs.
I’m a lucky guy. When we talked about the duel gift for our anniversary (we buy something together, usually a piece of art) we both spoke at the same time “We just bought the Dyson” Yep, I bought a vacuum cleaner for our anniversary.
Since she’s into running, perhaps you could get her a smoothie-maker or good quality blender and a book of recipes for healthy shakes and smoothies?
Just the thing after a run, or instead of breakfast.
Find out where she normally gets her massages…if they do any other treatments or she normally gets a cheap package see if you can give her a more luxe version or treat her to a mani/pedi/facial next time she goes for that massage.
If she’s into food: buy a hamper, stock it with goodies and go for a picnic somewhere nice. This could incorporate a hike/long walk/overnight camping trip if that’s your thing.
EVERYONE has photos they love but that aren’t displayed to their best potential. Get some nice picture frames or an album or two and sort out all those photos for her. You could really get into it and make a collage of all of your favourite pictures of her.