Gifts for Husbands and Wives
My husband is not an easy guy to shop for, as are most husbands. They are closet about that; they seem easy to shop for because they are happy and grateful for whatever present they unwrap but the tell-tale signs … the sweaters sit in their closet never worn. They ask, several years later, a tad embarrassed if they can donate those never-worn sweaters when they are cleaning out their closet.
Other presents seem to just disappear magically, though you know for certain that they were not returned for a refund or a store credit! p.s. Capability:Mom’s shopping list for herself and husband is here.
HUSBAND
So as not to blow his surprise as he does read my blog, I am going to list the presents in the past that were surprise winners, plus the ones that accidentally were leaked out already.
My husband is a handy guy, so this present is a half-joke but he will actually like it. On sale for $44.
He’s very picky about watches, but here are few that I think he’d like: 
I am not sure why but all [handy] men love tool belts. $12.
My husband says that you find more Pro V golf balls lost than any other. He is a +2 handicap and this is the ball he plays. He actually plays the Pro V1 ball and you can even get them monogrammed through any golf shop but that is an idea for a later date as you have run out of time for this Christmas.
This Swiss Army knife is good for handy guys, but the classic is great for anyone. My husband constantly gets his confiscated at the airport so I know that this is a gift that I can buy annually. $10. Great for the stocking! He is asking for a wide-angle lens for his camera. I will check at the camera store first to make sure I get the right one.
Nikon Wide Angle Lens, $365
He does tend to lose his sunglasses. A back up pair is probably a good idea. 
Oakley, $72
Freddie Couples is wearing these new, cool golf shoes with tiny nubs. He likes the laid-back vibe. This is the new fad in golf. 
Ecco, $100-$160
WIFE
And what do I want? It’s amazing how blogging is some time consuming that you have no time to shop. Capability:Mom‘s husband noticed the same thing. Still, I managed to put together a list.
My middle child has a seriously sensitive nose so I took her to the Jo Malone counter for her input. She could identify many of the top notes: “Smells like vanilla, mommy. I hate it.” She rejected 85% of the two dozen bottles and narrowed it down to just three. We ended up with Verbenas of Provence, light citrus-y and Vetiver, slightly woodsy and floral.
The Jade Yoga mat is the best one I’ve tried. It’s sticky so you don’t need the YogiToes towel that I normally need to keep from sliding. It’s also cushy. My Yoga Mom friend is really tall and she bought the extra long one; even if you are not tall, the extra length is nice to stake out space in a crowded yoga room. Is that an un-yogi like sentiment or a pragmatic one? This one is $65 and 3/16″ thick; there is also 5/16” which is $90.
This yoga tote bag by Gaiam is pretty and functional. At $20, it’s a nice add-on to the yoga mat (not for me; I have a nice yoga bag from Mother’s Day a few years back) but just for anyone who is thinking yoga gifts. As we get older, my husband and I find that we don’t really need or want that many “things” so we are asking for experiences instead.
High on the list: Husband: Personal Training and Golf Trip of a Lifetime in Scotland. Me: Private Kickboxing Lessons, yoga retreat with Mom Friends, and Family vacation to Venice before it sinks.
To examine any of the items listed, please click on image of item. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The 12 Days of Shopping
I will be posting The 12 Days of Shopping jointly with Capability:Mom. Please visit her blog to see the other half of each post. Dec 1: Make Your Own Gifts GRANOLA, Amazing Granola from Nigella Lawson versus Amazing Granola Bars from The Barefoot Contessa Dec 2: Kids Make Gifts CRAFT (ModPodge versus Clove Fruit) Dec 3: Personalized Gifts (Fancy Address Stampers versus Pretty Papers Giveaway) Dec 4: Father-in-Law/Dad and Mother-in-Law/Mom Dec 5: Tutors/Teachers Dec 6: High Tech/Low Tech Dec 7: Hostess/Gifts That Give Back Dec 8: Sanitation Engineers, Mail Carriers, Hairdresser, Delivery People, Babysitter, Cleaning People, Dog Walker/Dog Trainer, etc. (a.k.a. who else did I forget?) and Emily Post’s Etiquette on this subject. Dec 9: Husband, Me (Our Own Wacko List); Capability:Mom Husband/Wife Dec 10: Dog/Cat Dec 11: Quick Gifts from Whole Foods versus Gourmet Food Store Dec 12: ‘Cause I Am So Together, Last Minute Home Made Gifts: Cookies & Personalized Holiday Tags
Follow PragmaticMom’s board Parenting Village on Pinterest.
Follow PragmaticMom’s board DIY Instead of Buy on Pinterest.
My books:
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Massachusetts Book Award Long List
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
- Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
- 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
- Green Earth Book Award Long List
- Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
I love your picks – especially those chunky cashmere sweaters! I may have to forward this post to my husband for extra emphasis! 🙂
I wonder how long we have to wait to get those sweaters on sale!
Very informative paragraphs. Thanks for taking the time to share your research and experience with all.