The official what to buy your wife for Christmas thread.

[LChoy]

Originally Posted by Minnie

My husband has been instructed to purchase one or more of the following:

Heated shawl/blanket thingy
Pajamas - I need new ones, so if he's buying those, at least 4 pairs
Get my wedding rings sized

Aside from that, the only thing I usually ask for is a day trip to Banff with the entire family. I rarely need a lot of stuff, and I'd rather spend time with my crew.

Originally Posted by Violator

Instructed?

wow....I mean wow

Doesn't that take the surprise out of it on Christmas day he should just give it to you know.

My 2 cents

I can't always read my wife's mind, so it's better when she tells me what she really wants. I do something get her something else extra that she doesn't know about.

LChoy

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Yeah... its a pretty good all-around lens. I see Futureshop is selling it for $629.99 so the Amazon.ca price is a very good deal.

If you aren't already aware of this website . . .

http://ca.camelcamelcamel.com/Nikon-...uct/B00ECGX8FM

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by edslunch

Pandora all the way. Women love them, they're sexy and you can keep giving her new ones. If you have kids they can pick a charm each too.

I hate those Pandora things. I am apparently one of the few.

[Minnie]

Originally Posted by Violator

Instructed?

wow....I mean wow

Doesn't that take the surprise out of it on Christmas day he should just give it to you know.

He asked - I told him. Isnt that instructed? I'm not a child, I'm not really needing Christmas morning "magic" (minds out of the gutter boys and girls) - they're items I need. Magic is for the kids/grandkids. I'm most thrilled to have all my kids home for the holidays and bonus is now I'm getting a soon to be daughter-in-law AND my in-laws get to join us as well, which wasn't going to be the case 2 weeks ago and so now I have all the "magic" I need.

I should perhaps add that the last time I asked for PJs, I also got a pair of diamond stud earrings tucked in the pocket. I dont expect to find the same this time around, nor do I want them.

Perhaps I should also add that sometimes I ask for kitchenware/small kitchen appliances or house appliances (asked for a vacuum once - not a Dyson or anything) and don't get mad when I receive them.

Besides, we'll have a 25th wedding anniversary next August. If he wants to surprise me with a gift for that, he can save it until then - I'd much rather make a bit of fuss about that.

[GreenLantern]

This Alex and Ani seems pretty neat, but I am always weary about getting her jewelry. She loves it at first, but then stop wearing it. Then it sits on the dresser collecting dust.

This Fitbit thing might be right up her alley.. she goes in spurts of fitness but stays generally active at all times. Sometimes the dieting is insane, other times its Blizzard with Sons of Anarchy. She loves to track it all on her iPhone though, so this seems to be a great fit. Now just need to figure out which band is the best. Anyone have hands on experience with them?

Edit: Wow Fitbit gets some pretty insane reviews online.. however it appears that the next upgrade coming after Christmas will be a step above the current for a slight price upgrade. Makes it an iffy present for Christmas time.. they've got the 'slightly better' apple thing going on. Heart rate monitoring is a big upgrade though.

[enthused]

Originally Posted by Minnie

I hate those Pandora things. I am apparently one of the few.

I hate them too, I think they are incredibly cheesy and more appropriate for a child than a grown woman.

[MacDaddy77]

Bought my wife the following:

5 hours spa day on Dec 21, this i will claim through HSA so no cost but she still gets to enjoy time to herself.

From Me - winter gloves - the kind you can still text and use your phone wiht

From kids - moccasin shoes

stocking stuffers - new sport socks (she's a fitness instructor), peoples magazine, box of chocolates, a large navel orange (filler), new razer blades and razor (standard annual gift we get each other).

We don't go for big ticket items for each other, we spend for the kids and go skiing a couple days over the holidays instead. We try to spend most of our money on experiances and not stuff

[polak]

I'm kinda bummed that my girlfriend wants to do big xmas gifts already since we only started seeing each other in August and have been dating "officially" for 2 months but I was going to by myself a watch (as a little gift to myself for getting a new job) and she stopped me and said that's what she's getting me for xmas.

So now I need to spend a similar amount and she has no actual ideas for what she wants and neither do I.

She wants to start skiing so what I'm doing is taking her for a weekend in Banff. The first day we'll go skiing and I'll get her lessons (cause I can't teach worth a damn. Especially the basics. I started skiing 21 years ago. I don't remember what the basics even are!) and then we'll go out in Banff that night, stay at some hotel and then I'll take her out on the hill myself if she's up for it again the next day, or we can hangout in banff and then drive home.

I think that will be a lot of fun and I'm hoping that won't run me over $300-500. She won't care if she spends more than me, she's super laid back but yeah... I don't want to spend more than that at the moment.

[Flames89]

Originally Posted by polak

I'm kinda bummed that my girlfriend wants to do big xmas gifts already since we only started seeing each other in August and have been dating "officially" for 2 months but I was going to by myself a watch (as a little gift to myself for getting a new job) and she stopped me and said that's what she's getting me for xmas.

So now I need to spend a similar amount and she has no actual ideas for what she wants and neither do I.

She wants to start skiing so what I'm doing is taking her for a weekend in Banff. The first day we'll go skiing and I'll get her lessons (cause I can't teach worth a damn. Especially the basics. I started skiing 21 years ago. I don't remember what the basics even are!) and then we'll go out in Banff that night, stay at some hotel and then I'll take her out on the hill myself if she's up for it again the next day, or we can hangout in banff and then drive home.

I think that will be a lot of fun and I'm hoping that won't run me over $300-500. She won't care if she spends more than me, she's super laid back but yeah... I don't want to spend more than that at the moment.

Can I recommend getting her a small thoughtful piece of jewellry so she has SOMETHING on Xmas? What you described will be appreciated, but it is also called "date weekend"

[Flames89]

Originally Posted by polak

I'm kinda bummed that my girlfriend wants to do big xmas gifts already since we only started seeing each other in August and have been dating "officially" for 2 months but I was going to by myself a watch (as a little gift to myself for getting a new job) and she stopped me and said that's what she's getting me for xmas.

So now I need to spend a similar amount and she has no actual ideas for what she wants and neither do I.

She wants to start skiing so what I'm doing is taking her for a weekend in Banff. The first day we'll go skiing and I'll get her lessons (cause I can't teach worth a damn. Especially the basics. I started skiing 21 years ago. I don't remember what the basics even are!) and then we'll go out in Banff that night, stay at some hotel and then I'll take her out on the hill myself if she's up for it again the next day, or we can hangout in banff and then drive home.

I think that will be a lot of fun and I'm hoping that won't run me over $300-500. She won't care if she spends more than me, she's super laid back but yeah... I don't want to spend more than that at the moment.

Can I recommend getting her a small thoughtful piece of jewelry so she has SOMETHING on Xmas? What you described will be appreciated, but it is also called "date weekend"

[polak]

I will probably get her something small from Banff that she can pick out herself

[annasuave]

Growing up, we had a tradition - everyone wrote a letter to Santa and posted it on the fridge (apparently, someone in the house was supposed to "mail it to Santa"). Our family tradition was if you didn't write Santa a letter, you got coal.

I've carried that tradition over into married life, and it seems to work pretty well. These days, I just keep a running wishlist on Amazon. Anyone interested in gifting me with something is more than welcome to see it 365 days a year.

Unsurprising as it may be, getting something that you really wanted, even if you wrote it on a list including size, colour, and specifications is nicer and more romantic than getting, say a Christmas teddy bear, and wondering to yourself "Does he even KNOW me?"

I think Pandora is a great idea. Your wife will almost certainly vary. That's why I'm such a fan of the wishlist.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by polak

I will probably get her something small from Banff that she can pick out herself

I am sure she will get something small..........

[polak]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I am sure she will get something small..........

[GreenLantern]

I don't get it.

[nixon45]

Does anyone know of a good place to go buy a stocking? I want to get the Fiancée one and fill it.

I see CrappyTire has some so is a place like that the best bet?

[BigNumbers]

Originally Posted by nixon45

Does anyone know of a good place to go buy a stocking? I want to get the Fiancée one and fill it.

I see CrappyTire has some so is a place like that the best bet?

Depends what you want to spend. My wife likes the ones from Create & Barrel - as I recall they were cheap and nice quality.

[Muta]

My GF doesn't know what she wants for Christmas, but I'm supposed to know and make something completely magical and romantic, with lots of effort (implied).

I'm lazy, I wish she'd just give me a ####ing list.

[nixon45]

Originally Posted by BigNumbers

Depends what you want to spend. My wife likes the ones from Create & Barrel - as I recall they were cheap and nice quality.

Cool thanks! I will check them out

[octothorp]

Originally Posted by nixon45

Does anyone know of a good place to go buy a stocking? I want to get the Fiancée one and fill it.

I see CrappyTire has some so is a place like that the best bet?

If you want to get a really nice one (a nice romantic gesture for a fiancee), Anthropologie has some very cool knit ones. No idea about the cost though, it can get rather pricey in there.