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Original poster

I challenge you to think of a present for my extremely tricky husband

106 replies

Cinnamonandcoal · 14/08/2022 12:12

It's his 40th. I find him almost impossible to buy for. Please help if you can! He is lovely and deserves something great.

But...
He doesn't drink alcohol
Or tea, or coffee
He's not into watching or playing sports
Not art, I'm an artist and we have many paintings of the kids by me
He's not into fancy clothes, he wears jeans and t-shirts and doesn't react well to people trying to upgrade his look (as he sees it!)
He has a car and a bike but isn't into fancy car stuff or bikes stuff. He's not really into status symbols of any type.
I've done photobooks before
Considered a weekend away but a spa hotel or similar would be more for me than for him.

He is into:
Gaming, sci fi, LARP, board games
Camping
Tools and gadgets
History, particularly historical clothing, weaponry and stuff
Cooking and food
Books, audiobooks and podcasts
Possibly something garden related, but our garden is absolutely tiny.

Budget flexible, we share accounts so while I can afford something expensive it's more about it being the right thing than an extravagant thing.

OP posts:
Blixem · 14/08/2022 15:56

I got DH a biltong box so he can make his own. He loves it and it is still used years later.

I got mine from Billies and Tong.

Glittertwins · 14/08/2022 16:01

Blixem · 14/08/2022 15:56

I got DH a biltong box so he can make his own. He loves it and it is still used years later.

I got mine from Billies and Tong.

That's given me a good idea for a birthday!!

badbaduncle · 14/08/2022 16:15

DH is similar
I got him a make your own knife experience and he loved it. There are lots around, He did this one handforgedyorkshire.uk/about

Interested in this thread?

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General shopping
Original poster
Cinnamonandcoal · 14/08/2022 16:15

Thanks very much everyone, lots of great ideas. We have an Oculus Quest, decent food processor and so many board games already, but I think one of the activities will work well for this year, either the swordfighting classes or cookery or knife forging. Particularly as if it's just one for him I'll need to put in the extra childcare time which is an extra present in itself!

OP posts:
Classicblunder · 14/08/2022 16:16

Tickets to this?

gunpowderimmersive.com/

It has good reviews

NWQM · 14/08/2022 16:31

Sone brilliant ideas so shamelessly place marking

bloodyunicorns · 14/08/2022 16:45

Weekend away to a castle or museum he's always wanted to go to?

Historical reenactment day at a castle? Warwick do them.

A hawking day - when you go out hunting with hawks.

New history book by his favourite author?

LadyEloise1 · 14/08/2022 18:59

A cookery course in Ballymaloe and you can then join him for a celebratory weekend there.

MrsKeats · 14/08/2022 20:41

A glamping mini break?

BorisJohnsonsHair · 14/08/2022 20:48

A suit of armour. How fantastic would that be standing on the landing!

fortifiedwithtea · 14/08/2022 21:00

A resin 3d printer

user1471538283 · 14/08/2022 21:43

An experience day.

And his name on the next Mars Rover! It's free and you get a certificate to print! Making history!

VeniVidiWeeWee · 14/08/2022 22:38

Lego Tecnic.

I'm a 60 year old man.

Oh, and never, ever, buy an experience day.

I've had a few and they were uniformly crap.

BlackeyedSusan · 14/08/2022 23:27

Camping : solar lantern, solar power bank.

noodlezoodle · 14/08/2022 23:34

Fancy watch or smart watch

Bbike computer

Gaming chair (but only if you have a room where you don't have to look at it, they're hideous)

Tons of camping options - really nice sleeping bag, down blanket for sitting round the fire, or technical jacket?

Airpod pros?

noodlezoodle · 14/08/2022 23:34

noodlezoodle · 14/08/2022 23:34

Fancy watch or smart watch

Bbike computer

Gaming chair (but only if you have a room where you don't have to look at it, they're hideous)

Tons of camping options - really nice sleeping bag, down blanket for sitting round the fire, or technical jacket?

Airpod pros?

Doh, that would be a bike computer, not a Bbike computer

2bazookas · 14/08/2022 23:47

How about buying him a specialist cookery course?One day or a residential weekend

BitOutOfPractice · 14/08/2022 23:50

A weekend away doesn’t have to be a spa 🫤 if he’s into history then a trip so so where with a connection to the period / event / stuff he’s interested in.

mrsbyers · 14/08/2022 23:51

Ooni pizza oven

snowstorm2012 · 14/08/2022 23:56

How about tickets for the BBC Goodfood Winter Show at the NEC Birmingham in November? We went last year, stayed in the local Premier Inn and had a fab time, loads of food/drink samples, stuff to buy, shows if you want to pay extra for (we didn't).

We had a great time and will probably go again.

Good luck though in finding something!

mellowout · 15/08/2022 00:05

An Oculus/Meta Quest 2-VR headset if he's into gaming he will love it.

TinySophie · 15/08/2022 00:08

A leatherman multitool, or a very good penknife? Look on heinnie Haynes for these, there are some very nice new grades of steel being used in pocket knives now.

Other ideas;

sunglasses
wallet
another kitchen knife (different types from the same range)
very good knife sharpener
good pen

DinosaurOfFire · 15/08/2022 00:18

What is your budget? Could you get him an upgrade for his gaming set up- if pc, then monitor/ headset/ mousemat/ decent mouse, the xbox pro controller is supposed to be excellent and works for both pc and xbox, I'm sure playstation do something similarnif he's a PS player rather than windows. Does he play any tabletop rpgs- as if so, maybe handbooks or sourcebooks for those?

SherbertLemons · 15/08/2022 00:22

Rent a nice property (air bnb?) for the weekend and invite friends to join you for a weekend of board games and togetherness.

SineadIRE · 16/08/2022 00:36

Cinnamonandcoal · 14/08/2022 12:38

I like the sound of a cookery course or knife skills (added long term benefit to me!), the nomadic feast thing, some kind of antique weapon if I can find one that's legit, magnetic glove tool holder, longsword lessons although he's pretty good at swordfighting already.

Already has steam, hammock, camping stove, good kitchen knife.

Every birthday and Christmas this is a problem so I'll be saving these up for the years ahead 🙂

Does he have a sound bar for watching his sci fi? If not I highly recommend a good quality one like Bose