Need some gift ideas for a guy...

[Lady Dragonheart]

Gadgets are always fun. something that will let him be creative. Although this will depend on your price range.

If those tablets you could draw on where cheaper I would get him one of those...
He's been neglecting his drawing for a while. But they can get pretty expensive...

That and we've been considering getting a nice professional camera, but that is moreso for the both of us. Again, several hundred dollars or more, and I know so little about tech to know what's good or if I'm being conned...

[Eroginous]

I mostly just want to be able to return the favor he's done for me some many times over...
My gifts to him have always been substandard compare to things he just spontaneously picks up for me... It's honestly frustrating...

I just want him to experience the joy I do of getting something really cool and nice that I never thought that I wanted or knew about existed.

Honestly, you can't feel obligated to buy him a gift. Some people are just naturally good at finding something others will love. If he already has a lot of stuff, you could opt to get him a nicer version of something he already has, or you could opt to take him out some place to do something he enjoys and would really get a kick out of.

There's really nothing better than taking someone out to do something they really enjoy. Any object you buy would pale in comparison.

The best way to do it is to fool him by taking him out for breakfast/lunch/dinner on a day you know he's not going to be busy, and from there head to where you want to take him.

[belfpala]

Honestly, you can't feel obligated to buy him a gift. Some people are just naturally good at finding something others will love. If he already has a lot of stuff, you could opt to get him a nicer version of something he already has, or you could opt to take him out some place to do something he enjoys and would really get a kick out of.

I sort of hinted at this earlier in the thread. No, really, the stuff I have is the stuff I want. If you think I need more stuff, let's make it a shopping date. Don't buy me an item. Ever. Because, unless we've talked about it before, I promise you've bought the wrong one. Cameras, kitchen knives, clothes, endless list.

I take this both directions. I buy a token gift then offer to get whatever she wants.

Edit: Best b-day present I've ever had? She convinced me to take a few days off and we went on a road trip to some bed and breakfasts. Awesome. Re-iterating: I don't need more stuff, and if I do, I prefer to do the research and pick my stuff. Time with you? Much better.

[Sicarius87]

Dont know if you have one near your or something like it, but how about Sybris? Not sure if im spelling it correctly but google it

[Caliph]

More info please. Star Wars, Star Trek, Predator vs. aliens? Game of Thrones? sci fi or fantasy fiction? There's also comic con conventions or PAX. i'm sure they'll bring him joy and wouldn't be forgettable.

Also, let's remove things from the list.

clothes, sex, food, warhammer, frostmourne, wow.

Now he might only be 28 but about 20 years ago guys used to like leather or denim jackets with an airbrushed painting on the back. So you could take one of those jackets and have it painted with his favorite: character, anime, album, book, hero, you or something he likes specifically. I think that would be cool. But i'm not him.

[Lady Dragonheart]

More info please. Star Wars, Star Trek, Predator vs. aliens? Game of Thrones? sci fi or fantasy fiction? There's also comic con conventions or PAX. i'm sure they'll bring him joy and wouldn't be forgettable.

Also, let's remove things from the list.

clothes, sex, food, warhammer, frostmourne, wow.

Now he might only be 28 but about 20 years ago guys used to like leather or denim jackets with an airbrushed painting on the back. So you could take one of those jackets and have it painted with his favorite: character, anime, album, book, hero, you or something he likes specifically. I think that would be cool. But i'm not him.

Actually, that is an idea. He really would be into something like that. The leather/denim jacket I mean, granted we live in the south and it's almost always warm here... but he loved his old leather jacket... but it's like a decade old, tattered, and discolored - which is normal for leather, but he 'doesn't' wear it anymore, now that I think about it... it may be because he actually does want another and doesn't know it yet.


...Or I could be horribly wrong. But it's a good direction to look into!

[TheFuse]

Have you checked out: http://www.thinkgeek.com/
They have all manner of strange and amazing things your husband will never know he wanted.

Example: http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/f2eb/ A shark with a laser pointer on its head, because why not?

[Lady Dragonheart]

Honestly, you can't feel obligated to buy him a gift. Some people are just naturally good at finding something others will love. If he already has a lot of stuff, you could opt to get him a nicer version of something he already has, or you could opt to take him out some place to do something he enjoys and would really get a kick out of.

There's really nothing better than taking someone out to do something they really enjoy. Any object you buy would pale in comparison.

The best way to do it is to fool him by taking him out for breakfast/lunch/dinner on a day you know he's not going to be busy, and from there head to where you want to take him.

It's not that I feel obligated... well maybe a little, to be honest. I just want to be the one who gave him a gift that he really gets excited over... his friends, including his female friends are able to do this regularly... Yet, I can't... I have to say, I'm a little jealous of that and it makes me feel a little sad that I can't figure that part of him out, despite that he's my husband...

- - - Updated - - -

I added more info to the first post to help defining what I mean and what he likes/dislikes.

[Tebayo]

Maybe a really good scotch if he likes?

[Deleted]

Considering he has a good knowledge of knives and blades in general, perhaps a gift along the lines of a new chef's knife packaged with a sharpening stone and honing blade could be a potential idea. I suppose its a present which would see long and good use if he is inclined to cook as much as you appear to be. I'd recommended a Japanese style KG-6 or KG-7 Gyuto from Japanesechefsknives (a bit of a bad website but excellent products!) unless of course he or you already has that sort of thing well sorted =). Speaking as a student archaeologist you can't go wrong with replica glass bottle-ware throughout the ages ^^.

Otherwise what other people have suggested are good options too, electronic devices, something to do with nostalgic gaming oddities (Yoshi Egg Pillow if they exist, if you sleep on it long enough it could hatch ^^), clothes, as long as they fit, or alcohol and in particular flasks / containers (I assume there will be steam punk fashioned ones out there or perhaps a style from where you guys were living before), are all safe guy / bloke gifts. Think what you like of them, put a spin on them if you must =)

At the end of the day though the gift is just a gift, they all lose face value after a while, just make the entire day a treat and well memorable. Happy Shopping!

[teddytous]

Sounds like more of a doer then a wanter.

So do something, get him tickets to something, especially if its something he likes you don't, and send him off to do it with a buddy. Send him on or join in an adventure.

[Slant]

First, he's my husband, we've been together for about six years and married for one, and I've failed at getting him a meaningful gift since we've gotten together...
I really want to try to do well this time, as his birthday is coming up, but I'm terrible at coming up with good ideas...

I think the important part is not what you get him, but that you think of him. You should get him something that shows you put effort into it and think of him. I know from my own experience that I do not care if it's a video game, a signed book from my fav author, a new camera, a strip or a nicely cooked dinner... the thing that thrills me most is that she thought of me enough to make an effort to make me happy.

Fuck, I'm getting all mushy in my head at 4 am... need to man up and go to bed. :P

[Fenixdown]

Give him a case of beer and a happy ending.

Dudes ain't hard to please.

[Flame6]

How bout a keyboard or mouse or headset / speakers

[Tebayo]

Not sure you'll agree with this but, how about a Leatherman multi-tool? They have some very good high quality multi-tools and I know I'd love to get one as a present, that's just me tho

[Lady Dragonheart]

Give him a case of beer and a happy ending.

Dudes ain't hard to please.

He's not really into beer... He likes liquors, perhaps if someone has some interesting ones, I could get some for him

- - - Updated - - -

Sounds like more of a doer then a wanter.

So do something, get him tickets to something, especially if its something he likes you don't, and send him off to do it with a buddy. Send him on or join in an adventure.

He is, for the most part. However, when he does want things or gets things from others that he likes... He gets really happy and bubbly about it... I just want to be able to do that for once... maybe more.

Tickets to something are difficult because they'd have to be planned in advance with him to get his schedule, which would ruin the surprise aspect I want...

[misterbeefy117]

You said he's in to D&D, DMing, and Lovecraftian horror, and that you both like roleplaying (I don't know if that's in or out of the bedroom, or both). Get him the Call of C'thulhu 5th edition RPG book. It runs on the BRP (Basic Roleplay) system which is fairly close to the D&D ruleset (with some changes, so if he likes pouring over and learning new material, that'd be a bonus).
Here's a photo of what 5th edition looks like. I did a cursory google search and I came up with a whole bunch of other stuff, so this is just for a visual reference.

There's always the wonderful Achtung! C'thuhlu RPG too, where you fight against Lovecraftian cults before, during and slightly after World War 2. I think you can choose between aligning yourself with the Allies or the Axis too, which is always cool.

Or you can try Eldritch Horror which is a Lovecraftian card game (not a trading card game like Magic. I think there are a few expansions you can buy for Eldritch Horror, but you don't need to keep buying boosters). I haven't tried it, but from what I hear with friends and general buzz on the intranets, it sounds pretty cool.

It's like a quadruple whammy. RPGs, DMing and Lovecraft. Then you both can play together and spend time bonding over Lovecraftian monsters and cults. Which is neat.

[Lady Dragonheart]

I just wanted to thank everyone so much for the ideas, both from the forum and from private messages. The gifts that I selected to give him with the refreshed ideas that you all have inspired within me worked exceedingly well!

So, despite all the naysayers, thank you for your help MMO-C community!

If you still have interesting ideas, though, feel free to continue posting! Christmas and other casual gift-giving occasions are pretty frequent for us, so I could always use more ammunition and inspiration!