help! Need a gift for my husband

What do you get a husband for Christmas? A husband who really doesn't like the things you like: reading, crafts...reading. Hmmm...

This has been my dilemma for a few weeks. I know I have, what, 35 days until Christmas. HOWEVER, my family is celebrating in 2 1/2 weeks since my older sister, my Friend, is coming home!

Let me break off my chain of thought to tell you HOW EXCITED I am to see her. She is in the Air Force, she joined my junior year of high school, and I couldn't be more proud of her. She's been stationed in Florida, Texas, currently Hawai'i. She's been shipped off to Africa, Guam, and Iraq. She had to wait 7 months to meet her one and only nephew due to her engagement with Iraq. And she always answers her phone when I call, even if I forget the time difference and call wicked early (sorry, sis). She doesn't get to come home much, but when she does...literally, like, the whole world stops. We always have a big family dinner and it's usually a holiday, so there are usually gifts. So I'm psyched to see her in a few weeks.

BUT that brings me back to my challenge: to come up with a (homemade) gift for my husband. Let me tell you a bit about Big A. He grew up on a farm but never really has had a desire to farm so much as to help his dad and brother out. He's a big guy: 6'4" and probably 230lbs. He's muscular, blond, very handsome. AND, if you haven't been reading my blog long, you should know that I hit the jackpot: he cooks, he cleans, dishes, laundry...he's the BEST. He's also the best baker I've ever met. No joke - it's yummy!
He graduated with a BS in Wildlife Ecology, which should tell you that he LOVES the outdoors. Really, we couldn't be more opposite. He has virtually NO temper while I have a MEAN streak. I could say so much more about my husband (but maybe I shouldn't...apparently I brag on him sometimes and get other husbands in trouble...sorry, Seth...haha).

So I've been going through a big thought process. First I thought to put all of his letters to me from when we were dating in a scrapbook (it would be huge - we wrote letters virtually each day we were away from one another one summer). But then I thought that would really be more for me than him. Then I've thought of writing him a book about him and Moose. But I have REALLY bad writer's block when it comes to creative writing. And I would want it illustrated but I cannot draw.

Do you have any ideas? What are you getting your husbands, boyfriends, fathers, brothers? I don't want to get him another book this year (although I picked a good one last year, reading is just not really his thing).

Comments

EmmaP said…
i did a scrapbook once and included pics of my father in law and mother in law. My ex (we were still married then) thought it was great, especially since his dad had passed away.

This year, for Big-D I am making him a "quilt" out of denim (old denim jeans). I wanted to do Blue because it's his team's color - go cougars! click here for blue jean frayed quilt
Anyway - i had also initially thought about selecting some fleece and doing a tie fleece throw with his team logo or in his team colors. Just something to snuggle on the couch with while watching the game. click here for fleece throw. Oh - once for my own dad I did a photo collage memory frame. click here for frame. Basically you buy a pre-matted frame. Then you modge-podge small snap shots of you & moose all over the matte board. Then in the center either put a paper with a single word or simple phrase, like "Family" or "love" or soemthing like that. Hmmm That is all I can think of for now. If I come up with any more, I will get back to you...
jfrank said…
You could make him a book of gift certificates. You write them like: Day off from the dishes, laundry, etc. Just an idea!! I have no real clue.
Rion said…
Ryan's suggestion is:

Ask every one of yours and A's friends to write their favorite recipe on a card for a dessert and a meal, then, get those all together and make a homemade cookbook out of them! I'd even give the hidden Runza recipe my mom has ;)
Honey Mommy said…
Seriously... I never know what to get my husband! He's a computer guy, so I could never pick the right gadget!

Nowadays we usually just get one big gift for both of us... but I try to throw in some little things too.
carrhop said…
I made a jar for my husband that was filled with little mounted cards, each one printed with a different aspect of him that I love, his integrity, his playful way with his kids, his work ethic, etc. It still sits on his night stand--

Blessings!
Jewel Allen said…
I'm with Rion. A compiled baking cookbook sounds like a good thing for your hubby. How cool that he bakes!

PS Enjoy Twilight and let me know what you think of it :-)
Jewel Allen said…
Duh. I just read where you said you won't be watching it in the theater :-).

I won't for a long while, too :-)
cornnut32 said…
my husband loves it when i make him pajamas. i just make flannel pants (SO easy) and buy a t-shirt. one year i made him a matching pillowcase.

i also made him a really easy quilt one year. i picked out patterned fabric of things that he likes or reminds me of him (one with face cards, because he loves texas hold em', a golf print, flames because he is a firefighter, one with ambulances on it, four leaf clovers because his family is irish, etc.) i just cut the patterned fabric into 5x5 squares, put them together, and bought a black twin-size flat sheet for the back, batting, and yarn to tie it. i did the entire thing in a single night, and he loves it. he likes to use it when he's watching tv in the winter.
Aubrey said…
I am in the boat every single year. I enjoyed reading all the other suggestions though! I can't wait to find out what you decide on!
I'm restringing an old acoustic guitar from my parent's basement and looking at the used book store for some basic beginning guitar music books..or I'll just check some out from the library right before christmas. He has always wanted to learn how to play.

We're on a really tight budget this year so I'm doing homemade toys for our 2 daughters and thinking outside of the box for family gift ideas. I'll be making family photo scrapbooks for my parents and in laws. Hubby and I always exchange love letters to each other at christmas (and birthdays etc.)

I would love to sit down with a blank journal sometime and write him love letters, wishes and hopes for the future, and reasons why I am thankful for him, like a gratitude journal. I would also like to make journals like this for each of my daughters including advice on life, motherhood, relationships, etc. AM still planning to do this but it won't be before Christmas this year.

Life is short, my husband is a cancer survivor, so I try to live in the moment and not put things off for too long because you never know how much time you've got left here.

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