Friday, October 20, 2006

Boy's Toys

I sometimes think my husband gets a kick out of sending me to buy the biggest and heaviest tools as gifts for him. Very seldom am I sent to find anything that I can easily carry or wrap nicely.

His birthday is this Sunday, and rather than totally spacing his birthday as I often do, I knew just what to buy for him this year because he kindly pointed it out to me on our last visit to Lowe's to buy new blinds.

The object of his desire is that Bosch Power Box. I'm not exactly clear on what it does, besides that it plays music, stuff plugs into it, and you can drop it from a few stories up without breaking it. Most importantly, his friend Pete has one; I think that must be why he wants one. Toy envy.

It was light enough that I was able to carry it out of the store without any construction workers feeling sorry for me, but I don't have a clue how I'll wrap it.

I wonder if my husband feels as out of his element when shopping for gifts as I do. Does he roam around the bookstore or camera shop with no real idea what he's buying, like I do when browsing the tool section? Does he wish that I liked jewelry or perfume or some other easy to purchase thing? What do wives buy for their husbands besides tools?

11 comments:

Susan Gets Native said...

A Power box!!!???
I want one!
How's this for gender reversal: My DH buys me bird stuff, sure, but he also sends me out to fulfill my power tool fix by buying trimmers, drills, brackets, all that stuff I love.
What do I buy him for holidays and birthdays? Books and CDs of show tunes.

Dave Dorsey said...

Tools, tools, tools and did I mention tools? Bird stuff is good for me also. My wife Ruthie picked me up a copy of this months Alaska Magazine because it had a Snowy Owl story in it. My b'day is in June.

Anonymous said...

I always wish I could buy my husband time so that he could have more of it to do things that he loves instead of things he has to do....
You can usually wrap manly guy stuff in a black plastic leaf bag with a fancy bow...he probably won't really care too much about the bow but it'll make you feel better about the leaf bag!
:) Wendi

GreenmanTim said...

In this house it is kitchen stuff, interchangable with either spouse. Also, we have a tradition that dates back to my grandfather who really wanted a Jazz-whistle one Christmas. So he gave it to my Grandmother! When you get your spouse something far better suited to your interests it is a Jazz-Whistle present. These should never be acknowledged as such by the giver, dispite raised eyebrows and pointed fingers!

NatureWoman said...

Usually books and DVDs and clothes - this year will be a used computer monitor that my friend was just going to throw away so I offered some money for it, and the first Pinky and the Brain DVD. Then I'll have to think about X-Mas.
I'm with you Susan! I'm the one who likes the toys!

Jill said...

My step-mom asks what my dad wants for his birthday and the answer is usually tool or computer related. She then tells him to go to the store, buy it, then let her know where it is so she can put a bow on it!

Unknown said...

My husband is a musician so CDs are always good - he's always got a long list of things he wants. He likes tools and bbq stuff as well. Clothes are safe too. He's pretty easy to shop for. He's an architect so a new cool architecture book is always well received.

silverlight said...

I just tell and my husband exactly what I want. And he shows and tells me exactly what he wants. That way no confusion or disapointment.
You say, but, where's the surprise? The surpise is that we each received something we really wanted.

Anonymous said...

My husband can never think of even one thing that he'd like, so that's a different sort of problem. Actually, I'm much the same, so we both drive my mom a little crazy before Christmas! (-:

LauraHinNJ said...

Susan: Glad to know I can go to you for advice with gift-giving!

;-)

Dave: Those are the nicest type of gifts, the surprise ones. I think my DH has a tool for every imaginable project!

Wendi: I think I may skip the leaf bag, even, and just go with the bow!

Tim: I bought my DH a new set of pots for Christmas one year - he appreciates nice cooking utensils more than I do. I use the same *favorite* pot for everything! I love your jazz-whistle tradition and guess that many families have something similar. My husband buys me a fair number of *gadgets* that I can't imagine using, but he seems to like them.

;-)

Naturewoman: Clothes are always safe, and socks!

Jill: Hi! Funny - at least that way everyone is happy.

-llm.: An easy to shop for DH is a good thing!

silverlight: I like to shop knowing exactly want he wants, but it doesn't always happen that way.

Bev: I feel the same - not much that I really need and if there is something, I buy it for myself!

Patrick B. said...

That Bosch stuff is great quality. I went to their HQ in Germany on a grad school trip. They really know what they're doing.

I'm more partial to the cooking utensils.