What to get the man who has everything...

[legerdemer]

I need some help.

Men, what presents do you actually enjoy getting from your SO's? (other than sex in various forms; that's a given!) Mine gets his own electronics before I can generally get them for him (damn Amazon!!). Books, ditto. I could really use some ideas. The only idea I have at the moment is below, and it's not going to happen.

And women, or men with male partners, what presents do your SO's enjoy getting? (Equal opportunity here... and yea, not going to the GB.)



For a little diversion and plot bunny, here are some images for some body modification ideas:
http://m.cdn.blog.hu/cr/criticalbiomass/image/post_img/2013/01/bacula_diversity.jpg
FYI, the pics represent a sampling of penis bone diversity from various animals, including mammals. Squirrels have some of the ones at top left. As far as I can tell, evolutionary biologists have lots of hypotheses and no experiments that really say why animals have penis bones, BUT there's good data that the shape, though not the size, of the bone affects the reproductive success of the animal in question (i.e., how often his genes are passed on). The obvious reason to me - duh! - is to please the female, but it turns out that reason does not seem to be the top consideration for the experimentalists in question (not all of whom are men ).

 

[PennLady]

Are there other things he likes or is interested in but doesn't keep up on as much? My husband can be kind of hard to buy for as well, and in the same way. He likes books and movies, but he tends to buy movies kind of quickly.

This past Christmas, I got him two movie-related books that he didn't even know about, so he enjoyed that. But I know because I follow a few movie columns and read some other news sites than he does.

 

[Hypoxia]

Various USA males of my acquaintance enjoy receiving power tools, musical instruments, motorized vehicles, photo gear, recreational drugs, artworks (not necessarily erotic), fancy cookware, weapons -- mostly tools and toys, yes.

 

[shutterpsb]

I usually just tell my wife what I want, if she gets it for me good, if not I get it myself. We've been together a long time and I guess you could say I do have everything. Often we just go out to dinner or a show rather than doing the gift thing.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I need some help.

Men, what presents do you actually enjoy getting from your SO's? (other than sex in various forms; that's a given!) Mine gets his own electronics before I can generally get them for him (damn Amazon!!). Books, ditto.

Gift vouchers are one way to get around this problem.

 

[SamScribble]

One of the interesting things: as you get older, 'everything' tends to shrink by the year. When I was 20, 'everything' was an almost endless list. Now what I already have is probably way more than I need or want.

'What do you want for your birthday?' my best friend asks.

'A decent lunch,' I say. 'Preferably with you.'

'OK.'

 

[karaline]

the most recent birthday/Christmas presents I have bought my partner off the top of my head:

a multi-tool: I mean a like leatherman or a gerber tool.

a head torch: Petzl do this amazing one called zipka, its like a cross between a head torch and a retractable dog lead.

thermal underwear: this might seem like a boring option but you can get silk thermal underwear and thermal underwear with marino wool, so it can be luxurious.

you maybe sensing that my boyf is quite a practical feller, he is but hopefully something on the list will have a more universal appeal, they're all very useful things.

 

[lovecraft68]

A weekend away somewhere nice.

 

[oggbashan]

Something really antique:

A Roman coin (a genuine one).

An antique clockwork toy, or an unusual clock with visible workings.

A very old book (pre-1800).

 

[R. Richard]

Obviously, something to keep at least part of the everything in,

 

[SandraMustard]

Slightly off topic. For my last birthday, my husband gave me a figurine ... of a cougar (pic in my profile). It's something I can't mention to family. I can't even display it in my cabinet.

 

[WifeEnslaver]

What to get the man who has everything?

Penicillin...

 

[robertreams]

Tools, tools, tools, tools!

 

[sr71plt]

The most memorable presents from my wife of late have been a new office chair, a Homelight garage opener on my new car, and a sweatshirt with the wording, "Careful or you'll find yourself in my novel."

Bet those were a big help to you. I enjoyed getting them, though.

 

[legerdemer]

Something really antique:

A Roman coin (a genuine one).

An antique clockwork toy, or an unusual clock with visible workings.

A very old book (pre-1800).

A weekend away somewhere nice.

One of the interesting things: as you get older, 'everything' tends to shrink by the year. When I was 20, 'everything' was an almost endless list. Now what I already have is probably way more than I need or want.

'What do you want for your birthday?' my best friend asks.

'A decent lunch,' I say. 'Preferably with you.'

'OK.'

Thanks, all very good ideas. He loves antique books. We trolled for them in the UK on a visit earlier in the year, and found some of course.

...photo gear, recreational drugs, artworks (not necessarily erotic)....

Recreational drugs for him would be Bonine and other anti-sea sickness meds. He didn't try pot till his early 40s, and probably never will again... that would be a selfish gift for me.

 

[RoyceConnors]

I would think a rare wine, or special bottle of liquor, would be good, It can be had on every birthday after as a gift that keeps giving and adding to the following years.

 

[beachbum1958]

Most useless useful presents

Last birthday, when my wife asked me what I wanted, I just lazily replied, as I always do, "Oh, I dunno, something useful..."
She gave me a Breast-Pump and a bottle of Shake 'n' Vac; next time I'll put in a little more thought before answering.....

 

[Hypoxia]

I would think a rare wine, or special bottle of liquor, would be good,

See? Recreational drugs, just as I suggested.

 

[legerdemer]

I would think a rare wine, or special bottle of liquor, would be good, It can be had on every birthday after as a gift that keeps giving and adding to the following years.

See? Recreational drugs, just as I suggested.

Yes, this is often what I do get... but he drinks them too damn fast. I made the mistake of being at a conference on a recent Saturday, and he and a couple of other friends went through four bottles of a very special red wine. None left for me! Aaarrrgghhhh!

 

[legerdemer]

Last birthday, when my wife asked me what I wanted, I just lazily replied, as I always do, "Oh, I dunno, something useful..."
She gave me a Breast-Pump and a bottle of Shake 'n' Vac; next time I'll put in a little more thought before answering.....

I like your wife!

 

[FullyLoadedUK]

Memorabilia is always a good thing I think.

My wife once presented me with a glass case containing a miniature Super Bowl trophy, a mini football and a rookie card of the map of the game.

Both rookie card and ball were signed.

I should mention it was from the last Super Bowl my team won.

Another friend got a guitar signed by every member of Green Day. He won't even let his wife near it.

 

[49greg]

I've been trying to talk my wife into getting me a $2,500.00 Benilli Over Under shotgun for years, with no luck. (No way we can afford it. Or need it.)

I'd be happy with a few more pair of Duluth Trading Co. Merino Wool socks. Very very comfy and warm in the winters here.

A fine Pelikan fountain pen would be really great.

edited: The best present that my wife ever got me was a box full of small slips of paper with special memories written on them, things we both remember that always bring a smile. It's my Smile box. And I often open it up when I need a pick me up.

 

[oggbashan]

Our first present to each other after we got married was a 19th Century copy of Cervantes' Don Quixote illustrated by Gustave Dore.

We saw the book in the window of a secondhand bookdealer when we had gone to the seaside for the day. It cost £10 - more than we could afford over forty years ago - and we were broke from setting up our first home. We had been in our new house for three days and the trip to the seaside was our first break from unpacking.

We walked away, walked along the promenade, and started to walk back. We didn't have to pass the shop but we did. We looked at each other and both asked simultaneously "How much money have you got on you?".

Between us we had a few coins more than £10. We bought Don Quixote. We lived on pasta and cheese for the rest of the month.

We still have Don Quixote. We could buy another similar copy for about £300. But that wouldn't be our copy - our first joint possession.

The book has 1,000 illustrations. This is one of them, in reduced size:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Don_Quijote_and_Sancho_Panza.jpg

 

[redzinger]

The most memorable presents from my wife of late have been a new office chair, a Homelight garage opener on my new car, and a sweatshirt with the wording, "Careful or you'll find yourself in my novel."

Bet those were a big help to you. I enjoyed getting them, though.

Ooh, I had a set of pyjamas with this on as a Secret Santa present.

Only worn them to freak people out so far.

 

[legerdemer]

Our first present to each other after we got married was a 19th Century copy of Cervantes' Don Quixote illustrated by Gustave Dore.

We saw the book in the window of a secondhand bookdealer when we had gone to the seaside for the day. It cost £10 - more than we could afford over forty years ago - and we were broke from setting up our first home. We had been in our new house for three days and the trip to the seaside was our first break from unpacking.

We walked away, walked along the promenade, and started to walk back. We didn't have to pass the shop but we did. We looked at each other and both asked simultaneously "How much money have you got on you?".

Between us we had a few coins more than £10. We bought Don Quixote. We lived on pasta and cheese for the rest of the month.

We still have Don Quixote. We could buy another similar copy for about £300. But that wouldn't be our copy - our first joint possession.

The book has 1,000 illustrations. This is one of them, in reduced size:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Don_Quijote_and_Sancho_Panza.jpg

Beautiful!