CALLING ALL MEN: What''s YOUR dream engagement gift?

[quaeritur]

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On 8/27/2004 11:40:51 AM lindsal wrote:

Reena - I got my fiance a new IPOD (he already had one, but it was one of the orginial ones and was starting to loose battery life etc.)

He nearly tackled me and sent me down the stairs when I gave it to him. Just a thought if he a) doesn't have one and b) is as music obessesed as mine is. ----------------

I've heard these can also be engraved with a personal message

 

[quaeritur]

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On 8/27/2004 1:32:02 PM moremoremore wrote:

Ummm, Wonka....is that you? (my husband?)...lol

I was just going to write that seriously, my husband's favorite gift is the UN-GIFT...of not spending any money- especially on him. God, I love my low-maintenance guy!

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mmm - are you married to MY husband?!?!

He doesn't like gifts either. Mostly. Apparently beer brewing equipment and arcade game paraphernalia are now OK.

I didn't give him an engagement gift. We did exchange wedding gifts though. I gave him a pocket watch that I had engraved with a verse from a Shakespearian sonnet. He gave me a Japanese maple. My only regret is that we couldn't take the tree with us when we moved a few years later. I thought it was such a special gift -he said he wanted a symbol of our lives together, something that would grow as our relationship grew. That's pretty big stuff coming from my husband the quiet engineer. I go and visit that tree whenever I'm back in VA.

 

[valeria101]

What happend to that bachelor's party?

Could be a gift...

 

[reena]

okay guys, finally had time to read everything. first off, thanks for all of the really good advice.
i totally understand the sentiment that you don't want to take away from the gesture of him giving you the ring . . . i don't think i would be, though, because i'm certainly not trying to spend anywhere NEAR what he's spending on the ring. as alexah put it, we're in a little bit of a unique situation because we picked out the stone and the setting together, and i went significantly overbudget on both . . . he didn't care, just wants me to be happy, but i'd like to get him a fun little something to be excited about in return.

also, lest you all think im nuts, i probably should have clarified when i said "plasma"--im not planning on getting him a $12k TV.

i know nothing about electronics, so i'm not sure if what he wants is a plasma or an lcd or whatever . . . i have heard that in a reasonable size they're not more like a couple thousand. not that this is not a lot of money--it is--but it's about what i would like to spend. (we're getting our year-end bonuses soon, and he's spending all of his on my ring, so i don't mind taking some money out of mine for him.) i'm going to check out those electronic links, too--thanks. that's going to be really useful.

i'm definitely not SET on the TV, but my guy sounds like a lot of yours--NO jewelry except a watch (and soon a w ring!), loooves electronics, already has a new mac, an ipod, a new sound system, etc. pretty much the only things he gets excited about are, in this order, sports, electronics, cars and tools. so, i guess those are my options! i loooove the idea that someone mentioned of the BBQ, but we live in NYC (which also knocks out the car stuff, pool table and poker table ideas). sports tickets--alexah i like that! my honey is a huge cubs fan and last year for his b-day i surprised him and flew the two of us out to miami for two cubs/marlins playoff games (he had thought we were going to a bed and breakfast in VT, lol) and he honestly almost cried (he won't admit this) when he found out. lol. so that's a good idea . . . but as i said we live in NYC not chicago so i can't really get cubs tix. arrgh! this is tough. i'm going to give it some more thought--if anyone else has ideas, please chime in!

 

[fire&ice]

Reena, I would get him something personal that he could keep for the long haul. You don't have to spend alot on this type of gift - cufflinks, money clip, etc. I bought mine engraved buttons for his blazer (yes, this was preppy popular in my day). They didn't break the bank & he still has them. If you have the money for a plasma TV, then do that also - or for a birthday. We weren't in that position as we were saving for a house.

Just my 3c.

 

[hoorray]

If you are going for something just "fun and thoughtful" then think electronics, sports, hobbies, etc. Those things don't last, but are fun. I agree that the sentimental things are harder. My DH wears his rolex (a valentine's gift, years ago) and his w-ring. Cufflinks generally sit, no matter how cool they are, and I can't come up with anything else lasting that he will care about. He loves his big screen TV, IPOD, TIVO, etc gifts. He HATES it when I give him golf clubs since he wants control over that.

If he loves sports and electronics, how about a TIVO box? If he doesn't have it yet, he will LOVE how it changes TV watching.

Guys should keep the ideas coming.... it's good to hear them.

 

[reena]

wait, lop--i LOVE you! golf clubs!!!! why didn't i think of that? my honey loves golf and wants new clubs (dont they all?) . . . and it would be perfect because, although we live in NYC now, we're planning to move to Southern CA in january and getting to play golf year round is one of the things he's most excited about. you're right though lop, men like control over this stuff so i'd have to bribe a friend to ask him which set he covets. i know they're ping something.

or else i could get him a gift certificate from the golf store to pick a set out himself.

this is fab, i didn't want to overspend on the plasma and it would have been tricky business moving the TV cross country without damaging it. plus i bet i could get some pretty nice clubs for a lot less than i would have to spend on a plasma TV, i would imagine? golf experts?

 

[Jennifer5973]

I just had an idea--my husband LOVES baseball... sounds like your might too. the Baseball hall of fame is in Rye (I think ???) NY...and there are supposed to me a lot of nice B&Bs up there--Fall is PERECT time to go--foliage and such. Why not surprise him with a weekend up there?

 

[noobie]

Golf clubs are a great idea, but not a good surprise idea if he is a serious golfer. Pings are generally customizable with shaft types and lies so he would probably want to be fitted. But why not a certificate for a custom fitting and set of clubs? Less than a plasma and every time he hits a great or not so great shot he can think of you.

 

[hoorray]

Noobie is right. If he is serious about golf, don't try to surprise him. Top clubs, including Pings can be custom fit, which golfers love. Maybe give him the gift certificate and the appointment to go get fit. That way they are specifically for him, and my guess is that he will love that. Fitting is important for irons and drivers, but can also be done for other fairway woods if you are thinking about a set of woods.

FYI... I gave my DH the top of the line irons one year with advice from everyone who knew him and golf, and he always hated them and eventually sold them. The just didn't feel right for him. Fitting would probably avoid that problem.

 

[reena]

yep. i'm gonna do just that. that way he gets the fun feeling i had with the ring, where he pretty much said "go ahead and choose whatever you want". (within our budget that is!) that IS a nice feeling! plus i have no idea when he'll propose, and i can't exactly hide golf clubs in our 2BR apt. so the gift certificate is great, i can get it in advance and hide it away for when i need it. THANKS for the great idea!

one other question: how much to get the GC for? (actually, im nervous to get a GC with that much $$$ on it so ill probably make one up on my computer that just says "set of golf clubs of your choice" or whatev. that way he can choose the store too.) but, how much should i expect a great set of clubs to cost? (woah, this is really not about diamonds anymore is it.)

 

[hoorray]

It depends on if you are going to get woods or irons or both. They are typically purchased independantly, so you could buy him a new set of Ping irons (if that is what he is wanting) and have them cusotm fit, and he would probably be really happy. Or, you could get him a new set of woods, but many people really don't buy those in sets. Irons might make more sense. It would probably be a good idea to talk to his friends who might know what it is that he would really like to have to get some guidance. I don't think most people get new sets of both at the same time if they already have at least decent clubs. (it's expensive, and it takes getting used to.)

As a ballpark range, as long as he isn't going for the hand made special super duper clubs that no normal people really play with, a new set of great irons should run somewhere between $800 and $1500. The latest woods tend to run between $150 - $400 per club, and you typically need 3 - 5 of them. If it is either Ping or Calloway that you know he wants, they each have special fitting centers around the country that are very high tech. If you/he isn't sure what brand would be best, many of the larger stores and/or better golf courses have people who can help you select and fit a variety of brands.

Good luck!

 

[reena]

THANKS! im very excited.

 

[noobie]

Gee lop, I'm contacting you next time I need new clubs!

That explanation could have come out of a golf magazine. You're a pro.

 

[hoorray]

You get good at these things when you are married to a golf fanatic like I am. .

 

[Sparkster]

I bought my b/f a digital camera. We hardly have any photos of each other and so I thought I would get him a camera to start 'documenting' our new life together in photographs. He thought it was a wonderful idea and we went camera shopping together, he found the one he wanted and I bought it.

 

[nohica]

I am not very flashy either, yet family and friends continue to get me rings, money clips, etc. They are always nice gestures, but I can tell you for certain that the TV my girlfriend bought me was the best gift I have ever received. I was so excited I was speechless.

I DO enjoy showing it off (a recent article I read said 57% of men surveyed admitted to being jealous of a friend's TV)and am constantly thanking her for getting me what I really wanted.

You are correct in that it won't last forever, but I promise he will always remember the gesture.