Gifts for Guys

As I mentioned in my preview post yesterday, Boring Blog tipped me off to a "link-up" hosted by Moxie Wife, compiling lists of gifts for guys.  DH (who I think I will call Sparky from now on as that's how I jokingly refer to him at home) is very difficult to buy gifts for.  He's picky about clothes and likes gifts to be special.  Gifts should be heart-felt and God forbid he not be surprised! He HATES having any idea of what he's getting.  The year he knew I was buying him a watch, I made sure to wrap the watch box in one package and the actual watch somewhere else so that he would still be surprised.  He gifts the same way he expects people to give--he is thoughtful and genuine and creative.  The year I got my third band for my wedding/engagement ring set, he wrapped the ring in a 55" TV box.  Two years ago, my earrings were hanging from the Christmas tree.

All that to say that Sparky presents a particular problem: creativity.  I always start thinking of gifts early, though I just started buying last week.  Sparky is a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers fan which helps in  gift purchasing, especially now that we have a media room for all of his paraphernalia.  He loves to be outdoors and he's definitely a guy's guy.  A few of my top picks for him this year (and please, don't spill the beans if you run into Sparky on the street)...

Monogrammed whiskey decanter, packaged with a good aged rum


Pottery Barn

Steeler's Personalized Beer Mug. Pottery Barn also has a great vintage football stein, but the price was pretty steep ($70) compared to the $24 for the mug


Also Pottery Barn. 

I was on a Pottery Barn kick! I loved this watch and cuff link box as well, but seeing as Sparky is a no-frills kind of guy, I thought he may think it was kind of silly. 
Whiskey stones will be one of his stocking stuffers, and I will also have a Steeler's Terrible Towel embroidered with the baby's name in his stocking. He's dead set on covering Baby Boy with a Terrible Towel while Baby Boy is in the nursery at the hospital.  Dr. N. has given her approval.  I'm pretty sure if Sparky wrote a birth plan, that would be in it.  

Moxie Wife posted a link to a magnetic cuff for men to use that holds nails, screws, etc. while they're working, and I think I may get one of these too.  Sparky will laugh at it, but as he is such a handyman, I thought it would be a fun little gift, and for $10, it's a cheap stocking stuffer.

My last gift idea is a photo collage book.  I probably won't be making one right now, but I gave Sparky one for our anniversary and he adored it.  Shutterfly produces a great quality book and they're always running specials. 

Sparky and I set a strict budget for gifts this year, as neither of us is very good at "reasonable" spending, so with my remaining budget (approx. $90) after purchasing the above items, I plan on getting him some new work out shorts/tops. That doesn't sound very fun, but the boy's shorts have lost their elastic.  He was dancing around last night--Sparky is nuts--and his pants just fall down.  Time for new pants.  And, I'm a little embarassed to admit and I'm sure he'll love that I'm sharing this...He asked for a Ke$ha CD.  He loves running to her music.  I'm ashamed...

This is our fifth married Christmas, and we have a tradition.  I wake up early and make biscuits and sausage, put up a big pot of coffee, and mix the mimosas.  I have the table by the tree set and then I wake Sparky up.  We eat and give the dog her stocking and then we leisurely open gifts.  I love this tradition, even though there will be no champagne in my mimosa this year.  Even with Baby Boy, I want to keep this tradition.  It may look a little different, or it may have to happen on Christmas Eve when baby is in bed, but I cherish those early-morning memories more than I do the gift opening. 

Check out Moxie Wife and Boring Blog for some great guy gift ideas!