12 Gift Ideas for the Husband Who's Hard to Shop For
- Amanda Idleman Contributing Writer
- Updated Dec 04, 2023
Husbands can be challenging to shop for. Men either have everything they need already, or their interests are just plain pricey. Selecting a gift that will excite them can be a daunting task! Every year, I make mental notes on things my husband comments on, enjoys, and needs. I make a mental list of how I could choose something he’s been interested in over the course of the year for Christmas.
As wives, we want to show our husbands they are loved. Our gifts are a chance to let them know they are appreciated and seen. Consequently, we women can feel a bit of pressure when shopping for our husbands. We are often also bearing the load of shopping for everyone else in our homes, too! All the planning, budgeting, buying, and more add a layer of stress to this time of year for most married women.
Here are a few ideas to help take the pressure off finding a creative gift for your significant other:
1. Create Date Cards for the Year
For your quality time loving husband, let him know that you want to be with him by putting together date cards for each month of the year. These could be cards that outline a place you're going to eat together, an activity you will try together, a concert to attend, and more! You could include gift cards/tickets/reservations in each card so your husband knows these dates are something you’ve committed to for the next year. He will be blown away by your thoughtful planning invested in making being together a priority in the new year!
2. Buy Him a Subscription for the Year
My husband is not a big guy, but he enjoys activities, entertainment, and music. For Christmas, I am checking out getting him a Spotify subscription so he can pick his favorite songs to listen to year-round ad-free. In the past, I’ve purchased streaming services such as Hulu so he could enjoy his favorite shows. If he’s a sports fan, getting him access to watch the sport he loves is another fun way to treat him. The men in my house are gamers, so my husband also appreciates access to things such as Xbox Live and other online gaming platforms.
3. Sign Him Up for the Gym
Movement is so beneficial to every person. Take the guilt out of paying for gym access by giving your husband a gym membership. This year, I bought my husband three months at the gym across from his work so he did not have to commute far to workout during lunch during the winter months. He will use this weekly, and it encourages him to get after his fitness goals.
4. Plan a Weekend Away
If your husband has all the toys, gadgets, and extras he could ever ask for, skip the stuff and go for the experiences. A weekend away just the two of you is worth its weight in gold! Depending on your budget, you could just book a hotel down the street for one luxurious chance to sleep in together, or if you’ve got money to spend, plan a vacation that he will never forget.
5. Get Him Food
They always say that the stomach is the way to a man’s heart, and they aren’t wrong. You can order or prepare many fancy foods for your man this year. If he loves grilling, consider getting him premium meats via Butcher Box. For your sweets-loving man, check out Doubleside Toffee Co. They offer delicious treats and use part of their proceeds to support ministries. Support his love of cooking with a Blue Apron subscription! You can always check out your local bakeries for handmade versions of his favorite goodies for him to enjoy on Christmas day, too!
6. Add to the Tool Collection
It seems there are always new gadgets being created to make life a little simpler. My husband loves anything he can use to complete a new project that he decides he would like to tackle around the house. Seek out items he is missing from his tool collection and give him a reason to start one of those DIY projects you’ve been waiting to see done.
7. Provide Lawn Care
Time is money! Give your husband the gift of time by contracting out some of the chores he usually does around the house. This could look like leaf removal, lawn mowing, or grass seeding. Go ahead and find someone to take care of these tasks so your husband has less on his plate this year.
8. Book a Massage
Massages are not just for the ladies. Allow him the chance to truly unwind when he experiences a bit of pampering this holiday season. Schedule a date for him to enjoy a massage that will help melt away some of that holiday stress.
9. Invest in His Creative Passions
What does your husband love to tinker with? Mine loves to create music. A way I can support his passion is to purchase him tools that will help him expand his creativity. You could look at getting him a new instrument, software to grow his vision, tools, classes, lessons, and more!
10. Gift Him a Good Book
You can never have too many books. Find a book that you know will pique his interest. Books that invite him to dive deeper into the Bible are always a great gift. Allow him the space to unwind with a good read over the holiday break.
11. Make Him Something That Reminds Him That You Love Him
Men deserve some of those sweet, sentimental gifts, too! Make him a photo book showing how special your family is, create a card that articulates your gratitude for who he is, make him a special mug for his favorite drinks, or put together some art that shows him he is loved. Our husbands also appreciate those sweet grand gestures that come straight from our own hearts just the same as we wives do.
12. Meet a Practical Need
For the guy who has everything, think of practical things you could upgrade in his life. Would he like a premium pillow? A Dollar Shave Club subscription? Does he need new socks or undies? Work clothes? Shoes? A better brand of coffee to enjoy? A new watch? Phone? And the list goes on! Think of what he uses daily and choose something to upgrade for him.
Christmas is a sweet chance to show our spouses how much we appreciate them! Take time to consider your husband’s interests and needs in order to deliver to him a memorable gift this year.
