So I am struggling for good ideas for my wife. All I know is she wants a nice pair of boots. I am pretty sure I heard her say riding or cowboy. All I know I heard was what I wanted to hear about her riding me cowgirl. That is besides the point and maybe part of being married over 5 years now. Ok so seriously last year I got her a Nikon SLR and some stupidly expensive hair straightening iron thing, and now I do not know what to get. I am looking for serious answers here as "dick in a box" was my first Christmas gift to her. Any of you ladies got any great ideas. Last year I kept it all under 1200 and this year she said don't spend so much. So I would think my budget is going to be 800-1000. Her hobies are our 2.5 yr old daughter, making jewelry, and working out. Any great ideas from you ladies would be helpful.

12/1/2011 7:46:52 PM

Get her a designer bag/watch/purse.

12/1/2011 7:49:57 PM

get her a michele watch

12/1/2011 7:52:30 PM

not chit chat

[Edited on December 1, 2011 at 8:00 PM. Reason : d]

12/1/2011 7:58:02 PM

I bought her a ladies Rolex 3 years ago. No watches. She also is cheap and likes to shop at TJ Max, Marshall's, and Old Navy. She calls me Gucci all the damn time because I buy nice things for us. What do married women like? She is also a stay at home mom if that helps. Come on ladies I know you all know how each other think.

12/1/2011 7:58:42 PM

Quote :

"Dear Lord, Please don't ever let me get into a marriage where I don't know what will make my wife happy. Amen, ncstatetke"

Dear Lord,
Please don't ever let this guy get into a marriage. He still thinks he alone will make a woman happy.
Amen,
Stone

12/1/2011 8:00:16 PM

Before I had them, the things that would have been on my list as a SAHM would be

-eReader
-tablet PC
-Smart Phone
-digital camera

The things that are currently on my list:

-vacation
-vacation
-vacation
-oh, and some kind of spa day

12/1/2011 8:17:02 PM

if she suggested boots I definitely think you won't go wrong with a pair of Frye boots. They are classic and will last forever. She can wear them as a stay at home mom when she goes out and they are incredibly comfortable. She can dress them up or down. This pair the "Melissa Button" seems to be the popular style right now...and I have heard good things about them. I wear my Frye Campus boots all the time. http://tinyurl.com/75desev (this link will take you to Nordstrom's site)

12/1/2011 8:19:34 PM

Would she use an iPad if you bought one for her? (I guess she's not going to use it at work, which is why I ask...)

spa day* or short vacation are great ideas, too

[Edited on December 1, 2011 at 8:29 PM. Reason : *you could always spring for Umstead]

12/1/2011 8:27:40 PM

Quote :

"if she suggested boots I definitely think you won't go wrong with a pair of Frye boots. They are classic and will last forever. She can wear them as a stay at home mom when she goes out and they are incredibly comfortable. She can dress them up or down. This pair the "Melissa Button" seems to be the popular style right now...and I have heard good things about them. I wear my Frye Campus boots all the time. http://tinyurl.com/75desev (this link will take you to Nordstrom's site)"

Now this is the kind of help I am talking about. I just have to find a way to make her think I came up with it. I like them also so that means she may not but I think that is a riding boot so it seems to be on her list.

I was thinking about an ipad but she reads on her kindle and has a laptop for interweb.

Last year we did a 3 day spa trip to Grove Park Inn and we enjoyed it but sort of got the feeling she liked it but it was kind of a bucket list thing for her. Me, I love to get messages when I travel my wife not so much.

I was kind of thinking about trying to find a concert she might like that is in a good destination town. She hates to fly so that is a huge PITA when it comes to this kind of thing. I will be honest I have done so much the past 3 years for Christmas that it is becoming harder and harder to make each year on par or nicer.

12/1/2011 10:11:41 PM

man, you gotta start out like you can hold out

set the bar low

12/1/2011 10:17:42 PM

Like your wife, I have a Kindle and laptop. The iPad is really redundant. My 3 year old uses the iPad more than I do.

12/1/2011 10:58:55 PM

$1200?

My boy's getting a handmade robe. Fabric cost me $10.

As far as boots, there are two kinds: fashion and the real shit. Me, I'd like the real riding, cowboy or farm boots
(i.e. from Cabela's, Ariat, Roper, etc.) Can't go wrong with stuff made to take a beating while you're on your feet all day.

I have my eyes on a nice pair of work boots, something like this:
http://www.zappos.com/justin-440-8-lace-up-work-boot-rugged-tan-gaucho

[Edited on December 2, 2011 at 12:46 AM. Reason : yep]

12/2/2011 12:33:05 AM

Quote :

"man, you gotta start out like you can hold out set the bar low "

Troof. Got the wife a Lexus in '09, a year after we got married. Christmas of '10 was meh and I don't think this year will be any different

12/2/2011 12:45:26 AM

I always hear about those redwing shoes on the radio. they sound like they're handmade or some shit. maybe a pair of those

12/2/2011 2:35:35 AM

the wife and I decided before we even got together that we would get each other stocking stuffers with a 20 dollar budget and then decide about any big purchases together when we wanted them.

12/2/2011 7:43:35 AM

If you get her shoes, make sure they have a good return policy. Wimmenz be picky with the shoes. Very small chance that you actually get her a pair she would have picked up herself...even smaller chance that it fits right.

12/2/2011 7:52:18 AM

Quote :

"the wife and I decided before we even got together that we would get each other stocking stuffers with a 20 dollar budget and then decide about any big purchases together when we wanted them."

I am jealous as shit about that. I try to talk her into a joint gift/trip for Christmas every year but she likes exchanging gifts too much.

12/2/2011 8:16:29 AM

we dont do presents ... and 6 years later she is still good with that ...

no complaints here ... I buy whatever toys I want the day I decide I want them anyhow

12/2/2011 9:05:52 AM

THIS STONE GUY IS A REAL COMEDIAN

12/2/2011 9:07:17 AM

$1200 for Christmas is some serious coin

I'm not sure there would ever be a point in my life I'd feel okay spending that much on Christmas gifts.

12/2/2011 9:08:08 AM

christmas presents suck. with the exception of shoes, it is more fun to pick out expensive stuff together.

12/2/2011 9:11:18 AM

Quote :

"stupidly expensive hair straightening iron thing,"

hahahahhaa, I also got my wife a (all I remember is that it was a straightening iron and it was way way way more expensive than it should have been)


but she still thanks me for it nearly a year later, so i guess it was worth it.

I got her cole haan boots the year before, but she sorta picked them out beforehand.


this year we're both just filling up an amazon wish list with all kinds of shit we want, and we're just gonna both pick from that. so there's still some element of surprise, but we'll both get something we want.

12/2/2011 9:49:24 AM

Quote :

"Got the wife a Lexus in '09"

did it come with a giant red bow like in the commercial?

12/2/2011 10:15:51 AM

^^Yeah, it's a Chi. And it's far and away the greatest flat iron ever made--worth the price, in my opinion.

Actually an excellent present idea for any of you dudes out there with ladies who like to straighten their hair but don't have a Chi yet. But you'd probably have to get something a little more personal, too. And, obviously, don't get a Chi if your lady doesn't straighten her hair: WTF is this supposed to mean? You don't like my hair? What's wrong with my hair? You know, you coulda just told me.

^Hate those commercials!

[Edited on December 2, 2011 at 10:23 AM. Reason : ]

12/2/2011 10:22:39 AM

spa day gift card and be done with it

12/2/2011 10:38:39 AM

Yeah the Chi flat iron or whatever shocked me when I saw the price of one. My wife had one before we ever met and when I saw it in the store, I asked her "did you pay this much for this piece of shit". She got mad. Honestly I figured that thing cost $10 at Walmart.

As for gifts for the wife, mine finally gave me a straight answer this year - diamond earrings. Fuck.

12/2/2011 10:44:37 AM

That's why you don't ask

12/2/2011 10:45:34 AM

Get her an ipad. I don't care what the hell she has as far as laptops, kendalls, nooks, touchpads, zunes, whatver. The ipad will make them all obsolete.

12/2/2011 10:47:10 AM

Ditto on the ipad. And yes, a chi is worth the money. Hair appliances should be salon quality, as they'll last forever.

12/2/2011 10:48:37 AM

^^^^^^that amazon wishlist thing is a good idea. You don't even have to necessarily buy it from amazon, if you can find the exact same thing elsewhere, but if you are not sure then just buy it from amazon to be safe

The first link to boots are really cute, however be very careful since boot sizes are sometimes different than regular shoes. You might have to kill the surprise OR a handmade/computer made voucher with a picture of the ones you picked out has never offended me. and you don't have to stress yourself about the right size.

also I have admired these http://www.eddiebauer.com/catalog/product.jsp?ensembleId=40322&prodsearch=6&oessoa=6056261&cm_mmc=GooglePLA-_-Women's%20Shoes_and_Accessories|Shop%20by%20Brand|Eddie%20Bauer-_-1018605-_-NA

http://www.ralphlauren.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11837977&utm_medium=feeds&utm_source=Google%2bPLA&utm_campaign=Boots

these have a heel:

http://www.travelsmith.com/andiamo-wide-calf-stretch-riding-boot/20578?cm_mmc=Comparison%20Shopping-_-Googlebase-_-Women's%20%3E%20Footwear%20%3E%20Boots,%20Sandals%20and%20Slippers-_-10423%20BRN%207D5&SourceCode=CMSHP001&mr:trackingCode=8AA49D48-E07F-E011-87D9-001B21A69EB8&mr:referralID=NA

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/born-sosie-tall-riding-boot/3029727?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_ite=born_'sosie'_tall_riding_boot:260857&cm_pla=shoes:women:boots&cm_ven=Froogle&mr:referralID=NA&mr:trackingCode=7AEE1A61-3C3D-E011-997F-001517B1882A

^personally I like the last ones the most

[Edited on December 2, 2011 at 11:00 AM. Reason : ,]

12/2/2011 10:51:12 AM

my gf broke her flat iron and is currently using a $10 walmart special

is this the real deal Chi? that may make a good christmas present

/hijack

12/2/2011 10:55:42 AM

I don't know why guys have problems getting jewelery. There are lots of things that look really nice for <$100. It helps to have a significant other who isn't ordinarily into jewelery and stuff, b/c they're pleased with fucking anything. Diamonds help, in case that wasn't obvious. Unless she's particularly difficult, it's going to be like the 3rd year into the relationship before I have trouble identifying a good idea for a new piece of jewelery.

Dresses too, but she really has to ask for it and be specific in advance, or it will require recruiting female friends of hers.

Maybe it's just my inner woman inside wanting to live vicariously through girlfriends.

And massages. This are great because it really doesn't matter what she wanted or didn't want to begin with. Get it for her anyway.

Experiences are great. Why get her a $300 bag when instead, you could get her a small cheaper trinket and a moonlight horse ride together? (prob $80 for ride) If you're in Raleigh, this isn't a problem to arrange. Better for birthdays though, b/c they probably won't be busy on the birthday itself, and you can surprise her. But I still think there are good experience gifts to get her for Christmas, and it reduces clutter.

Or get her a premium TWW account. Sure to work.

[Edited on December 2, 2011 at 11:00 AM. Reason : ]

12/2/2011 10:59:50 AM

^ if she likes dresses, I looooove http://www.modcloth.com/, but picking one out would probably be hard, gift card to modcloth?

also consider doing the shop for expensive presents together type thing, especially if she likes to drag you out to go shopping. I like this idea because my bf did not know that I wanted a nintendo 64 until we saw one and I freaked out. lol. At least consider bringing it up for next year's xmas, it saves a lot of headaches.

good luck, and I think if you care enough to think about her present she will enjoy it



[Edited on December 2, 2011 at 11:10 AM. Reason : =)]

12/2/2011 11:02:24 AM

Quote :

"Maybe it's just my inner woman inside wanting to live vicariously through girlfriends."

Rhymes with maggot

12/2/2011 11:02:31 AM

^ Let me get this straight. Enjoying the task of picking out a sexy dress for an attractive woman I'm in love with is gay?

I just want to be clear on this, because it sounds like I'm gay. Guess it's time for me to come out of the closet. I like women and I like shopping with women and for women, so there, I'm out of the closet.

12/2/2011 11:10:51 AM

^ that doesn't make you gay at all. Don't listen to him, some men just will never be able to handle shopping (I sometimes can't either). That is very sweet that you help her pick stuff out. It is nice when your man compliments how you look in something, always more effective than a girl's opinion just because they are usually very blunt about it and it confirms whether it should be purchased or not.

[Edited on December 2, 2011 at 11:15 AM. Reason : ,]

12/2/2011 11:14:25 AM

Quote :

"Dear Lord, Please don't ever let this guy get into a marriage. He still thinks he alone will make a woman happy. Amen, Stone "

This made meh laugh

I second the Frye boots. Personally I've wanted a pair for a while but my friends who own them absolutly love them. They last forever too. Since she is a stay at home mom have you thought about giving her mom's day out childcare or something? Where you drop the kid off for 3 hours 2x a week so your wife can have some time to herself. I know some stay at home mom's struggle with that. Since she likes working out you could get her classes or private instruction for some specialty fitness she may have been interested in like boxing, pilates, cycling. If all else fails there is always jewlery. Does she have a set of pearls or diamond earings?

12/2/2011 11:19:04 AM

i got the ex a chi once. thing broke in 4 months. hell if im buying another 100 dollar hair iron.

then again, that girl was expensive. the new one is mad i dont get her anything expensive lolz.

12/2/2011 11:19:05 AM

where can one get one of these Chi hair straighteners? My GF lives and dies by hers and she always comments on how it's starting to die on her.


is this the one?
http://www.amazon.com/Farouk-CHI-Inch-Ceramic-Hairstyling/dp/B0009V1YR8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322842928&sr=8-1

on sale on Amazon

12/2/2011 11:21:52 AM

Quote :

"^ if she likes dresses, I looooove http://www.modcloth.com/, but picking one out would probably be hard, gift card to modcloth?"

I really like modcloth btw. I will probably be returning there. Like this dress:

http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/twirl-power-dress

I mean, how in the fuck can anyone not like that?

12/2/2011 11:22:27 AM

If she's into fancy purses, it seems like the Coach outlet in Mebane is always having a sale. My wife has walked in there twice and got nice purses for less than $130.

12/2/2011 11:25:14 AM

Quote :

"I mean, how in the fuck can anyone not like that?"

^^it is rare if I find a dress I don't like on that site, so pretty.

nice pick too, btw, I want

[Edited on December 2, 2011 at 11:25 AM. Reason : ,]

12/2/2011 11:25:25 AM

Buy your chi offline. They are super expensive in a salon.

12/2/2011 11:25:42 AM

^so you mean, buy it online?

12/2/2011 11:28:59 AM

Anything from the Open Hearts collection by Jane Seymour.

Just kidding. I threaten the gf with that all the time.

12/2/2011 11:38:48 AM

offline? the fuck does that mean?

12/2/2011 11:41:00 AM

online, online

sorry, im sleepy

[Edited on December 2, 2011 at 11:46 AM. Reason : I think i was trying to say get it off the internet... ]

12/2/2011 11:45:46 AM

Quote :

"Let me get this straight. Enjoying the task of picking out a sexy dress for an attractive woman I'm in love with is gay? I just want to be clear on this, because it sounds like I'm gay. Guess it's time for me to come out of the closet. I like women and I like shopping with women and for women, so there, I'm out of the closet."

I like buying my girl shit...but you're taking it a bit far when you say you enjoy shopping with women and picking out dresses.

12/2/2011 11:47:24 AM

going shopping period is on my list of least favorite things to do.

Going shopping with a woman is something that is less appealing than stapling my scrotum to my chin.

12/2/2011 11:54:21 AM