strawberryshortstack Posted December 14, 2016 Posted December 14, 2016 This isn't a should we or shouldn't we situation - it's already been decided that it will happen - he wants to get me a gift. I am, of course, under no implied or explicit obligation to get him a gift, but I'd like to. The trouble is, the relationship isn't even four months old yet, and while I know him well enough to know that I have feelings for him, I don't know him well enough to know what the perfect gift is for a first Christmas together. He's told me he's very difficult to buy for. He's very self-reliant, and doesn't wait for people to buy him things most of the time. If he needs it or wants it, he buys it. He has dropped a few hints, but either they're too boring for me to want to get him, or out of my price range (our incomes are vastly different). What do you buy for the man who needs nothing, on a budget? He's wonderfully geeky and smart, with a huge heart, and he loves to cook for me. Some ideas I had, but discarded, but maybe should think about again: a nice warm throw blanket for us to use when we cuddle on the couch to watch movies (and a special homebaked treat to eat as we cuddle) a pepper mill/salt shaker set (he currently dispenses salt straight from the big cylindrical container, which is fine for cooking, but not so great for adding to the finished dish) - this is also something he hinted at the last time we saw each other, it just seems so boring to me. An idea that just came to me, which happens to be something else he'd mentioned, probably as a hint: He has a piercing in one ear, and he currently wears a gold hoop in it. He mentioned that he'd like to get a second piercing so he can add a stud earring. If I can find one that's affordable, I thought about getting him the stud for when he gets the piercing. Any thoughts? Suggestions?
jen1447 Posted December 14, 2016 Posted December 14, 2016 I like the throw blanket idea. Otherwise I can see going 2 directions - practical or sentimental. Sentimental would be some sort of personal gift that you make (using a unique skill/talent of yours ideally) that means only as much as you want it to. That could be kept inexpensive cost-wise, if not time-wise. Practical would be sth like a wireless gift certificate or a data gift. Even self-sufficient ppl like having their bills paid, and it doesn't have to break the bank.
Author strawberryshortstack Posted December 14, 2016 Author Posted December 14, 2016 I like the throw blanket idea. Otherwise I can see going 2 directions - practical or sentimental. Sentimental would be some sort of personal gift that you make (using a unique skill/talent of yours ideally) that means only as much as you want it to. That could be kept inexpensive cost-wise, if not time-wise. Practical would be sth like a wireless gift certificate or a data gift. Even self-sufficient ppl like having their bills paid, and it doesn't have to break the bank. I think I may go with the throw blanket and a batch of my chocolate chip cookies that he loves. Another hint he threw out was time at a shooting range, but this just doesn't seem practical for me to plan for him - which is the part he wants me to take care of. Oh, I also thought about getting him a Kindle - which is technically out of my budget, but still doable if I use Amazon's installment option. The issue with this is that while he does read, he takes advantage of audiobooks during his daily commute, and I'm just not sure he'd get any use out of it. At one point, he also suggested farm tools (he keeps an "urban homestead" in his backyard, and tools sometimes break, but this just doesn't seem like a very personal gift.
jen1447 Posted December 14, 2016 Posted December 14, 2016 Cookies and throw for the win. btw the entry Kindle is pretty cheap and they sometimes have it on sale. I think they're running their Fire tablet at $40 right now, and you can use that as a reader too.
Jejangles Posted December 14, 2016 Posted December 14, 2016 Gifts early in the relationship are so tough! A few years ago I was dating a guy for about the same period and he gave me this cute bunny cotton ball holder I had pointed out once. The relationship fell apart shortly after Christmas (and the bunny got knocked over and broke eventually) but I was so touched by that simple present, because he had to go out of his way to go back to the store to get it. I like your idea of a throw and cookies. I might expand it even further to a small movie night gift - include a dvd, popcorn and a gift certificate for a massage from you or something. Some other ideas based on what you shared: - Cooking class the two of you can do together - Salt cellar and a box of Maldon sea salt - every good cook should have one on their counter! - Nice gardening gloves and a trowel - Bird house or bird feeder (most people into gardening have a thing for birds too)
TheTraveler Posted December 14, 2016 Posted December 14, 2016 He has a piercing in one ear, and he currently wears a gold hoop in it. He mentioned that he'd like to get a second piercing so he can add a stud earring. If I can find one that's affordable, I thought about getting him the stud for when he gets the piercing. Any thoughts? Suggestions? Why not surprise him one night and take him to get his ear pierced and buy the stud there? Positive, he will always remember you were the one to do it. OT: is he going to balance his ears or line up one side?
Miss Peach Posted December 14, 2016 Posted December 14, 2016 I prefer practical things I will use. I don't like keeping excess in the house. If he doesn't have any sort of blankets a throw might be a good one. It also might make sense to check around town for activities you two can do. I like gifting experiences over material items personally.
Author strawberryshortstack Posted December 14, 2016 Author Posted December 14, 2016 Cookies and throw for the win. btw the entry Kindle is pretty cheap and they sometimes have it on sale. I think they're running their Fire tablet at $40 right now, and you can use that as a reader too. The reason I decided against the Kindle is that he really only does his "reading" on the way to/from work. He leads a very active lifestyle (social activities, taking care of the animals, and still managing to see me 2-4 times per week) and the commute time is really the only time he has left to read, which he can't do while driving, so audiobooks are really his only option at this point. Gifts early in the relationship are so tough! A few years ago I was dating a guy for about the same period and he gave me this cute bunny cotton ball holder I had pointed out once. The relationship fell apart shortly after Christmas (and the bunny got knocked over and broke eventually) but I was so touched by that simple present, because he had to go out of his way to go back to the store to get it. I like your idea of a throw and cookies. I might expand it even further to a small movie night gift - include a dvd, popcorn and a gift certificate for a massage from you or something. Some other ideas based on what you shared: - Cooking class the two of you can do together - Salt cellar and a box of Maldon sea salt - every good cook should have one on their counter! - Nice gardening gloves and a trowel - Bird house or bird feeder (most people into gardening have a thing for birds too) Well, I hope this relationship doesn't fall apart after Christmas. Sorry to hear about yours doing that. A DVD would be tricky because he owns so many movies already - even newer ones. Scheduling a cooking class might be tricky (our schedules don't always line up, and we sometimes don't know if we can see each other until the day of, or the day before) His urban homestead is more about the animals than gardening. He keeps chickens, breeds rabbits, and has a beehive for honey. I thought about getting him a honey pot for his counter to keep the honey in, but he ends up getting so much at once that it won't hold it all. But I might still find something in this category. Why not surprise him one night and take him to get his ear pierced and buy the stud there? Positive, he will always remember you were the one to do it. OT: is he going to balance his ears or line up one side? That won't really work, unless I use dinner at a nearby restaurant as a diversion (and I can't afford both). I don't drive, so anywhere we go, he's driving, or we're taking the train. Much harder to surprise someone that way. Both piercings will be in the same ear. Thanks for the suggestions!
Author strawberryshortstack Posted December 14, 2016 Author Posted December 14, 2016 I prefer practical things I will use. I don't like keeping excess in the house. If he doesn't have any sort of blankets a throw might be a good one. It also might make sense to check around town for activities you two can do. I like gifting experiences over material items personally. I actually suggested that in lieu of exchanging gifts, we just go do something nice together one day around the holidays (we won't be spending the actual holiday, as he'll be down south visiting his family, and I can't join him). But I think he may have already gotten my gift.
VeveCakes Posted December 14, 2016 Posted December 14, 2016 Does he drink? Balls of Steel are drink coolers that dont water down your drink. A proceed goes to prostate cancer research too. I have a set and they are awesome, I always get them as gifts for men 2
Author strawberryshortstack Posted December 15, 2016 Author Posted December 15, 2016 Does he drink? Balls of Steel are drink coolers that dont water down your drink. A proceed goes to prostate cancer research too. I have a set and they are awesome, I always get them as gifts for men He's not really a big drinker. Good idea though!
TheTraveler Posted December 15, 2016 Posted December 15, 2016 That won't really work, unless I use dinner at a nearby restaurant as a diversion (and I can't afford both). I don't drive, so anywhere we go, he's driving, or we're taking the train. Much harder to surprise someone that way. Both piercings will be in the same ear. Thanks for the suggestions! Why wouldn't it work? Who said anything about dinner? You can take the train to the location and get it done.
TheTraveler Posted December 15, 2016 Posted December 15, 2016 Does he drink? Balls of Steel are drink coolers that dont water down your drink. A proceed goes to prostate cancer research too. I have a set and they are awesome, I always get them as gifts for men That is a lame ass gift. Like AWFUL
TheTraveler Posted December 15, 2016 Posted December 15, 2016 Cookies and throw for the win. Nope. No guy wants this
VeveCakes Posted December 15, 2016 Posted December 15, 2016 That is a lame ass gift. Like AWFUL WTH...why? Everyone I have gotten these for has loved them... and I use them myself and they are awesome. I'm not talking about a gift for someone you have been with for a long time... Guess you have to be a Whiskey lover!
jen1447 Posted December 15, 2016 Posted December 15, 2016 Does he drink? Balls of Steel are drink coolers that dont water down your drink. A proceed goes to prostate cancer research too. I have a set and they are awesome, I always get them as gifts for men That actually sounds kinda cool. Are they stainless steel or sth? The only thing that'd make me hesitate is the thought they'd leave some kind of metallic taste or residue in your drink lol.
Author strawberryshortstack Posted December 16, 2016 Author Posted December 16, 2016 Why wouldn't it work? Who said anything about dinner? You can take the train to the location and get it done. Because I'd want it to be a surprise. And he's going to think it very strange if I tell him we're taking the train to some random location instead of him driving.
Author strawberryshortstack Posted December 19, 2016 Author Posted December 19, 2016 I ended up going with the salt/pepper mill idea - found a nice one at BB&B. He loved it, and immediately made space for it on the spice rack next to his stove. He got me a butane torch so I can learn how to make creme brulee. We both like to cook, so it seems appropriate that we both ended up with cooking related items. (He's also going to get a batch of my browned butter chocolate chip cookies that were the first thing I baked for him near the very beginning of our relationship) 3
Author strawberryshortstack Posted December 19, 2016 Author Posted December 19, 2016 Early Christmas?? Yes, he's going out of town to visit family - leaving before Christmas and won't be back until after Christmas, and unfortunately, I'm not able to get time off to go with him, so we decided to do our gift exchange on Saturday.
coolheadal Posted December 19, 2016 Posted December 19, 2016 Just being with him on your very first Christmas together should be all that is needed. Gifts don't have to be exchanged but your being there is all the should count. Gifts next year and there after.. Right now give the gift of emotional loving is the best gift of all!
Author strawberryshortstack Posted December 19, 2016 Author Posted December 19, 2016 Just being with him on your very first Christmas together should be all that is needed. Gifts don't have to be exchanged but your being there is all the should count. Gifts next year and there after.. Right now give the gift of emotional loving is the best gift of all! I agree, and I told him I didn't need a gift, but his mind was made up. He said if he felt he needed to buy me a gift, it wouldn't be a gift, and he wanted to. In any case, it's already done, and we're both happy with our gifts. Thanks all for the help!
VeveCakes Posted December 19, 2016 Posted December 19, 2016 That actually sounds kinda cool. Are they stainless steel or sth? The only thing that'd make me hesitate is the thought they'd leave some kind of metallic taste or residue in your drink lol. Yeah they are like titanium I think...with some special cooling center. They are awesome...but anyways haha Glad it all worked out OP.
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