The Troublesome Trauma of Buying Gifts for Males

[Bonnie Trenga]

Any suggestions for a tool or whatever he won't have but will love and must have?

Are all males hard to buy for, or is it just males in my family?

[Brad Manor]

I spent the weekend using a Festool profile sander - I was helping my brother-in-law make these: www.knitzi.com (my sister's invention which they now sell, quite successfully too!!). Until recently I thought a sander was a sander - now I want the Festool.

-Brad

[Brian G]

What are his hobbies or interests? What's he into? Mostly we want stuff that goes toward what we do for enjoyment (just like little boys [:-propell).

Brian G.

Sweaters Are Christmas Cancer [:-crazy]

[inspector57]

Tools that I need (or want) I purchase for myself, but I am tight and won't spend very much on wants. Most small tool gifts are junk that never gets used since small price tags and quality tools don't go together. I have been surprised on occasion when my family pooled resources and bought a large roll around tool box that I had only drooled over while shopping but refused to spend the money, that was the only tool gift "winner" that I have received.

If you don't shop with a male to get a clue, a gift card to his favorite haunt might be the way to go.

[Les]

Two gifts I received and really like are the

Paslole Impulse cordless nailgun and my profile sander. I don't use either much, but they are really cool and not something I would have bought for myself.

One other gift, from my Mother, was a fountain pen and a hardbound blank journal book. I let it sit around for months, then started using it. I am not a daily user, but each time I make an entry it reminds me of my Mother and the content(s) are special.

I am a gadget guy, so anything unique just makes my day! For my Birthday I got a wireless firing system for fireworks and a small megaphone. Does not take much to keep me happy.

PS: Most men like books, they just don't know it!

[Bonnie Trenga]

It's true that he buys what he needs. His hobbies are reading and hiking. Loves REi but buys himself whatever he wants. I can't imagine he'd need or want a sander...

Thanks for the input!

[kurt]

reading & hiking.....

GPS? They're quite a bit of fun.

If he's an outdoor guy, and he likes REI, how 'bout some tech clothing from Mountain Hardware, Marmot, etc.?

I've got this little tiny lantern for hiking; it's got a piezo-electric igniter, and whenever I pull it out on the trail, everyone thinks it's the coolest thing going. It's bright enough to read by @ night, and it weighs about 2 ounces.

[randynavarro]

Gift certificate to REI

[randynavarro]

By the way, men are easy. Its you females that are the hardest to buy for!

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Bonnie Trenga

It's true that he buys what he needs. His hobbies are reading and hiking. Loves REi but buys himself whatever he wants. I can't imagine he'd need or want a sander...

Thanks for the input!

How about something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-compass-and ... dZViewItem

Or this:

http://img.inkfrog.com/click_enlarge1.p ... d=69361603

Or this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-KEUFFEL-ESS ... dZViewItem

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Brian G]

Hiking offers a number possibilites, but that number is beggared by the ocean of books available. Does Amazon have gift certificates?

I was blessed (IMHO) to be born into a family that abandoned all sentmentality related to Christmas gifts when my brother and I reached our teens. My Mom either gives us money or a credit card, names a figure, and we go out and buy our own Christmas presents. She wraps them and puts them under the tree. I have yet to get anything I didn't want that way. [^]

Brian G.

Nobody Knows Me Like Me []

[Richard Moore]

Bonnie,

All men are little boys at heart. Get him something completely useless...but FUN!!!

http://www.xheli.com/esro224chrcm.html? ... hgoduBwYXQ

[kurt]

Originally posted by randynavarro

By the way, men are easy. Its you females that are the hardest to buy for!

Jo Malone.

[Bonnie Trenga]

Originally posted by kurt

I've got this little tiny lantern for hiking; it's got a piezo-electric igniter, and whenever I pull it out on the trail, everyone thinks it's the coolest thing going. It's bright enough to read by @ night, and it weighs about 2 ounces.

Interesting. What is it and where can I see more info on it?

My six-year-old has a completely useless helicopter toy to play with, and Tom has never seemed too excited. Good suggestion, though.

I do like the idea of an antique compass. There's an antique shop nearby...

Are ladies really hard to buy for? I'm always happy with books. Lingerie shouldn't be a hardship to buy, either.

[Les]

Darn difficult to find the good fancy underthings at the nearly new store. Mostly they are just a bunch of lace, string, thin fabric and nonsense!

I received a shepard's clock and compass a couple of years back - forgot all about it! Time to re-gift it.

[Bonnie Trenga]

I think the best way to shop for your female significant other is to listen. Sometime when you're out together and she says something like, "Oh, that's a nice _________" take note and consider buying her that thing. We women sometimes indirectly say we want things without spelling it out explicitly. When I was in Italy I saw and commented on a number of pretty shirts (but didn't buy any). My husband was present but I doubt it registered with him. We'll see this Xmas... On the other hand, he never says, "Oh, that's a nice sander" or whatever. If he did, I'd jump right on it!

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Richard Moore

Bonnie,

All men are little boys at heart. Get him something completely useless...but FUN!!!

http://www.xheli.com/esro224chrcm.html? ... hgoduBwYXQ

You'll put out your eye.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[kurt]

Originally posted by Bonnie Trenga

Originally posted by kurt

I've got this little tiny lantern for hiking; it's got a piezo-electric igniter, and whenever I pull it out on the trail, everyone thinks it's the coolest thing going. It's bright enough to read by @ night, and it weighs about 2 ounces.

Interesting. What is it and where can I see more info on it?

My six-year-old has a completely useless helicopter toy to play with, and Tom has never seemed too excited. Good suggestion, though.

I do like the idea of an antique compass. There's an antique shop nearby...

Are ladies really hard to buy for? I'm always happy with books. Lingerie shouldn't be a hardship to buy, either.

http://www.rei.com/product/643063

A larger selection is here.....

http://www.rei.com/Search.do?vcat=REI_S ... e+Lanterns

The Coleman & Brunton jobs have the piezo electric igniter which is really, really nice. All the others are cool, but you have to light them w/a match.

Both of these are really nice. I happen to own the Sundog; it's bright enough to read by, which is why I carry it on trail.

http://www.trailspace.com/gear/northern ... s/lantern/

[kurt]

And for all you suckers out there wondering what to get your lovely brides, just stop thinking, go here......

http://www.jomalone.co.uk/

Go to citrus..... and get her the Basil, Lime Mandarin cololgne. This stuff smells incredible. Honest. It'll kill ya' it's so good.

This is the lock down, guaranteed, Oh Baby, you're so sweet let me love you to death gift. Lingerie can be found @ the local mall; this stuff can't.

Jo Malone is the chi-chi scent of the moment, and the Basil Lime stuff is what put her on the map. She's an interesting story in entrepreneurship; I discovered her a couple years ago during a last minute (is there any other kind?) shopping excursion.

And here's the kicker; all her scents are incredible. They are really not like all the nasty shit you smell on the old ladies working the downtown Neiman Markup makeup counters. You can stop thinking forever, and just keep getting her other Jo Malone product. The whole concept is mix & match scents.

I'm telling ya; guaranteed boffo. Basil Lime Mandarin.

[ozofprev]

Our shopping was always for the kids - and a little something sentimental for each other.

Now the kids are all grown. The wife and I are thinking of some "us" presents like furniture or a vacation.

But every day is a holiday in our marriage.[:-thumbu]

[kurt]

Originally posted by Bonnie Trenga

I think the best way to shop for your female significant other is to listen.

Bonnie, I luv ya, but that sentence, by itself, is testament to why men and women will never understand each other. [:-dev3]

[ozofprev]

Thanks Kurt.

You just cost me $198 at Saks[:-weepn]

[Richard Moore]

Bonnie,

OK, so it's no on the RC helicopter (but I would like one if anyone's listening). Along the more "sensible" line; I use a Telesteps ladder during most of my inspections. I'd guess that 50% of my clients say something along the lines of "Cool ladder, where did you buy it?"

Just a thought. I bought mine at http://www.rewci.com/tellad.html?gclid= ... hgodNBXVzg . They have good prices. I'd recommend the 1600 (12.5') or the 1800W (14.5' wide step) models.