Gift Mid-50s Male

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If he’s like me, he really dislikes gifts. They were bad enough in earlier decades but now in middle age they’re just aggravating. At a time of life when the kids are leaving home and I’m pruning clutter down, the last thing I need in my life is more “stuff” to store or otherwise deal with. Also, at this age I’m old enough to remember a time when previous generations bought a few good quality (probably US-made) items that lasted forever. Today’s disposable junk lifestyle is just depressing.

Maybe something consumable like a really nice bottle of whiskey. But you get to a point where you dread being given more tangible stuff.

Exactly. I don't need anything. If I did need anything I'd go get it myself. Definitely don't go get something that is going to replace some old traditional item he loves (like a ratty t-shirt or some other gizmo he loves to use like a leatherman) with some new fangle app driven item. If I wanted to replace it, I would have even if I complain about it.

What I'd want is more about experiences. As a PP posted, not something a wife would want but something I'd want to experience. I like the idea of taking a cooking class or a concert or something similar. Just went on a glamping trip with one of my kids and had a blast and we are not the camping types at all (more team sports types).

So one caveat to the above. I will say a few weeks before Father's day we were travelling at an AirBnB and they had a cool set of large 1.5 inch ice cube trays and I said how much I liked them. My wife was paying attention and guess what I got for Father's Day. I'd bet your husband has said something similar about some item that he hasn't gone out and bought himself (more out of laziness like myself) and you could get him that. You just have to pay attention. At the end of the day, most men and husbands are simple creatures. I just saw on IG or youtube commercial similar ice cube trays that you can personalize.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he’s like me, he really dislikes gifts. They were bad enough in earlier decades but now in middle age they’re just aggravating. At a time of life when the kids are leaving home and I’m pruning clutter down, the last thing I need in my life is more “stuff” to store or otherwise deal with. Also, at this age I’m old enough to remember a time when previous generations bought a few good quality (probably US-made) items that lasted forever. Today’s disposable junk lifestyle is just depressing.

Maybe something consumable like a really nice bottle of whiskey. But you get to a point where you dread being given more tangible stuff.

Exactly. I don't need anything. If I did need anything I'd go get it myself. Definitely don't go get something that is going to replace some old traditional item he loves (like a ratty t-shirt or some other gizmo he loves to use like a leatherman) with some new fangle app driven item. If I wanted to replace it, I would have even if I complain about it.

What I'd want is more about experiences. As a PP posted, not something a wife would want but something I'd want to experience. I like the idea of taking a cooking class or a concert or something similar. Just went on a glamping trip with one of my kids and had a blast and we are not the camping types at all (more team sports types).

So one caveat to the above. I will say a few weeks before Father's day we were travelling at an AirBnB and they had a cool set of large 1.5 inch ice cube trays and I said how much I liked them. My wife was paying attention and guess what I got for Father's Day. I'd bet your husband has said something similar about some item that he hasn't gone out and bought himself (more out of laziness like myself) and you could get him that. You just have to pay attention. At the end of the day, most men and husbands are simple creatures. I just saw on IG or youtube commercial similar ice cube trays that you can personalize.

The one caveat is that if there is some tech item that he likes but won't buy for himself, consider that. In my case, I put off upgrading my watch and finally won a Fitbit Versa in a drawing at a street fair booth. I realize that having a smart watch that connects to my phone is really nice. But it was something I wouldn't have upgraded for myself. So an Apple Watch or fancy Fitbit if he likes things that integrate with his phone might be a nice tangible gift.

For experiences, if he has a sports team he likes, maybe a trip to see his team play with good seats. If he has a band he likes, a trip to a concert. If he likes theater, a trip to Broadway to see some shows. Consider what he likes and try to tailor an experience to incorporate the things he likes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he’s like me, he really dislikes gifts. They were bad enough in earlier decades but now in middle age they’re just aggravating. At a time of life when the kids are leaving home and I’m pruning clutter down, the last thing I need in my life is more “stuff” to store or otherwise deal with. Also, at this age I’m old enough to remember a time when previous generations bought a few good quality (probably US-made) items that lasted forever. Today’s disposable junk lifestyle is just depressing.

Maybe something consumable like a really nice bottle of whiskey. But you get to a point where you dread being given more tangible stuff.

Exactly. I don't need anything. If I did need anything I'd go get it myself. Definitely don't go get something that is going to replace some old traditional item he loves (like a ratty t-shirt or some other gizmo he loves to use like a leatherman) with some new fangle app driven item. If I wanted to replace it, I would have even if I complain about it.

What I'd want is more about experiences. As a PP posted, not something a wife would want but something I'd want to experience. I like the idea of taking a cooking class or a concert or something similar. Just went on a glamping trip with one of my kids and had a blast and we are not the camping types at all (more team sports types).

So one caveat to the above. I will say a few weeks before Father's day we were travelling at an AirBnB and they had a cool set of large 1.5 inch ice cube trays and I said how much I liked them. My wife was paying attention and guess what I got for Father's Day. I'd bet your husband has said something similar about some item that he hasn't gone out and bought himself (more out of laziness like myself) and you could get him that. You just have to pay attention. At the end of the day, most men and husbands are simple creatures. I just saw on IG or youtube commercial similar ice cube trays that you can personalize.

The one caveat is that if there is some tech item that he likes but won't buy for himself, consider that. In my case, I put off upgrading my watch and finally won a Fitbit Versa in a drawing at a street fair booth. I realize that having a smart watch that connects to my phone is really nice. But it was something I wouldn't have upgraded for myself. So an Apple Watch or fancy Fitbit if he likes things that integrate with his phone might be a nice tangible gift.

For experiences, if he has a sports team he likes, maybe a trip to see his team play with good seats. If he has a band he likes, a trip to a concert. If he likes theater, a trip to Broadway to see some shows. Consider what he likes and try to tailor an experience to incorporate the things he likes.

Yes. Some men simply adore a fabulous Broadway musical !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If he’s like me, he really dislikes gifts. They were bad enough in earlier decades but now in middle age they’re just aggravating. At a time of life when the kids are leaving home and I’m pruning clutter down, the last thing I need in my life is more “stuff” to store or otherwise deal with. Also, at this age I’m old enough to remember a time when previous generations bought a few good quality (probably US-made) items that lasted forever. Today’s disposable junk lifestyle is just depressing.

Maybe something consumable like a really nice bottle of whiskey. But you get to a point where you dread being given more tangible stuff.

Exactly. I don't need anything. If I did need anything I'd go get it myself. Definitely don't go get something that is going to replace some old traditional item he loves (like a ratty t-shirt or some other gizmo he loves to use like a leatherman) with some new fangle app driven item. If I wanted to replace it, I would have even if I complain about it.

What I'd want is more about experiences. As a PP posted, not something a wife would want but something I'd want to experience. I like the idea of taking a cooking class or a concert or something similar. Just went on a glamping trip with one of my kids and had a blast and we are not the camping types at all (more team sports types).

So one caveat to the above. I will say a few weeks before Father's day we were travelling at an AirBnB and they had a cool set of large 1.5 inch ice cube trays and I said how much I liked them. My wife was paying attention and guess what I got for Father's Day. I'd bet your husband has said something similar about some item that he hasn't gone out and bought himself (more out of laziness like myself) and you could get him that. You just have to pay attention. At the end of the day, most men and husbands are simple creatures. I just saw on IG or youtube commercial similar ice cube trays that you can personalize.

The one caveat is that if there is some tech item that he likes but won't buy for himself, consider that. In my case, I put off upgrading my watch and finally won a Fitbit Versa in a drawing at a street fair booth. I realize that having a smart watch that connects to my phone is really nice. But it was something I wouldn't have upgraded for myself. So an Apple Watch or fancy Fitbit if he likes things that integrate with his phone might be a nice tangible gift.

For experiences, if he has a sports team he likes, maybe a trip to see his team play with good seats. If he has a band he likes, a trip to a concert. If he likes theater, a trip to Broadway to see some shows. Consider what he likes and try to tailor an experience to incorporate the things he likes.

Yes. Some men simply adore a fabulous Broadway musical !

Not just gay men. I'm a straight guy who met my wife through community theater. I know a lot of straight men who love theater and Broadway shows and would love to have a weekend trip to Broadway to see 2-4 shows.

[Anonymous]

Private chef to cook dinner at home for you and some friends.

[Anonymous]

What about doing something cool? Find a place where you can rent a wrecker and crush cars. Find a closed track where he can do high speed racing. Maybe a white water rafting trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Big green egg. It’s a meat smoker.

Please no

[Anonymous]

If it were my bday, all I'd want is some take out dinner, relax and watch movie all night. Wife trying to do something special is more stressful than its worth - for her and me. Let me just relax, have easy dinner, and watch a couple of good movies together. I'd be a happy man.

[Anonymous]

Expensive watch

Invite out and pay for dinner out with some friends to a great restaurant

Does he golf? Book a tee time and stay at Pinehurst, Whistling Straits, TPC Sawgrass, or Pebble Beach.

Nice bottle of Bourbon, glasses, and those initial large ice cube trays mentioned by a pp

[Anonymous]

When I saw the title I thought this was for a colleague or casual acquaintance. But how you expect strangers to pick a gift knowing only someone's gender and age, when you know him better than anyone in the world?

[Anonymous]

Blackstone griddle, ooni pizza oven, fishing trip

[Anonymous]

Uninterrupted day off!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about doing something cool? Find a place where you can rent a wrecker and crush cars. Find a closed track where he can do high speed racing. Maybe a white water rafting trip.

Summit point west VA used to have a care race school called Skip Barber IIRC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Blackstone griddle, ooni pizza oven, fishing trip

Glad I am not married to you.

[Anonymous]

It really depends what he likes to do and whether he has other interests/collections. Some things that I would have liked at one time or another:

Watch (Omega Speedmaster, JLC Master Control)

Trip to a fishing lodge (Savage River for something close; Northern Maine, FL Keys, or Alaska for something truly out there)

Good bottles of red or white burgundy

A weekend away with my wife somewhere easy and fun and not too far away

Nice artwork

Now, I'd really just like some free time with the family and a long hike in a nice piece of woods.