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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

DH just asking for practical stuff, anyone else?

60 replies

pinkponie · 26/11/2025 22:18

DH wants… pans for Christmas, new plates and a salt and pepper grinder. That’s it. Is anyone else’s DH like this? We could afford new ones easily but he insists that this is what he wants 🫤

OP posts:
YellowCherry · 27/11/2025 12:19

Not just men who are like this! I prefer practical presents too.

socialdilemmawhattodo · 27/11/2025 12:23

Ive asked for salt and pepper grinders too. My pepper has stopped working after many years, and it will be a great pressie for a DC to get me.

HelpMeGetThrough · 27/11/2025 12:24

I want a new hoover for Christmas.

God I know how to live!!!

drspouse · 27/11/2025 12:27

My DH wants a power bank... He's also getting some nice stuff.

FollowingAzureSeas · 27/11/2025 12:30

I hate getting surprise luxury presents as I just think that was £25 (or whatever) I could have spent on something that I really wanted or needed. Even worse are novelty presents or random toiletries.
Call me a brat but it's all just so wasteful.
And yes, I want a carbon steel frying pan for Christmas 😂

sandyhappypeople · 27/11/2025 12:32

pinkponie · 26/11/2025 22:18

DH wants… pans for Christmas, new plates and a salt and pepper grinder. That’s it. Is anyone else’s DH like this? We could afford new ones easily but he insists that this is what he wants 🫤

I'm a DW not a DH but this is the sort of thing I ask for on my Christmas list and I love it! I'd much rather people buy me things that I can use and enjoy using again and again. My mum bought me a dinner service the year before she died and it's my favourite set that I now save for best.

I'd much rather ask for, and receive presents like this than random smelly sets or things I don't use, or a voucher for me to buy things myself.. which I could just buy myself if I wanted to!

AphroditesSeashell · 27/11/2025 12:32

I asked for a salad spinner and a kitchen apron a few years ago. I was very happy with them. They are things I'd like but that I wouldn't budget for in every day life.

Ineffable23 · 27/11/2025 12:34

I think my requirements for practical gifts is that they are either a luxury/special version of a product or require specific knowledge to enable their purchase.

E.g. I am delighted that my dad bought me some clamps for my birthday because I have no idea what clamps I need or what qualities they should have. He has done the work of sourcing the right ones and that is the gift more than the thing itself.

I am also delighted with my very pretty salt and pepper grinders. They replace a super old, cheap set and feel like a real treat.

But when dad asks for a screwdriver set and has to send me a link to the specific one because otherwise I'll buy the wrong thing, it somehow doesn't feel the same.

StruggleFlourish · 27/11/2025 12:49

pinkponie · 26/11/2025 22:18

DH wants… pans for Christmas, new plates and a salt and pepper grinder. That’s it. Is anyone else’s DH like this? We could afford new ones easily but he insists that this is what he wants 🫤

My kind of person!!
Although I don't think there's anything wrong with the occasional "fluff" (present that has no real useful / practical purpose) I am sick of a deluge of such gifts... Just a bunch of junk that you didn't want and you didn't need and it just to me represents a waste of money

When my husband was alive I really enjoyed shopping for him all year, I bought him practical gifts (like super cozy warm work socks, other things that he needed for work) but I'd also buy a few things that I knew would just bring a lot of joy to his soul, one of them was a plastic pop-up playset that could fit into something that looked a little bit like a suitcase, that you would put your little toy cars and things on, similar to one that he had when he was a young child.
Didn't need it. But he loved it.

Today, because we try to downplay gift-giving in our family as none of us really have a lot of money to spend on things that are not essential, I try to make sure that my gifts are as practical as possible (for instance emergency kit full of dehydrated food, first aid kit to put in the car, a calendar for next year but made out of family photographs) and I also don't like to give them at actual Christmas because that puts too much pressure on reciprocation and I don't want to put anyone in that position if they aren't able to give a gift. So I usually give my gifts around this time of year, about a month before, and I just say "it's not a Christmas gift, I just wanted to give this to you"

I love being able to give, but I'm sensitive to wastefulness of money, and buying unneeded items, and a sensitivity that we can't all afford to have as much disposable income.

Practical gifts may be seen as boring by some people, but I feel that they can be definitely a gift showing that you're listening to the person, that you care about them, and it can be a gift that is used and enjoyed almost every day.
Someone might be extremely unhappy at receiving a new vacuum cleaner for instance, because it's not at all fun and doesn't feel like a gift but if I don't have to struggle with my old vacuum cleaner that's a pain to use every single day that I use it, and every time I use the new one I'm happy because it's so much easier to use, then I think that's a wonderful gift.

Topseyt123 · 27/11/2025 13:46

I really prefer practical gifts and never understand the pasting and derision they get on here so often. I like vouchers too, particularly ones I can use to load up my kindle or kobo e-readers.

In previous years I have had a bread maker for Christmas, and some great heavy duty cooking pans which also look lovely. Great presents and years later are showing hardly any signs of wear. I love them all.

Not for me your chocolates, perfumes, toiletries, jewellery and make-up. I never bother wearing make-up, jewellery and perfumes anyway. I'd be grateful of course if someone who didn't know me well presented me with something like any of these to but would have to eventually pass them on to two of my DDs, who do often like some of these things.

My MIL would have totally disagreed with me. She disliked "useful" presents and would sulk if she got anything that she deemed to be even vaguely in that category. She was quite hard to buy for. It couldn't be at all practical, but it had to be absolutely wonderful. Usually nobody could ever get it quite right and we all knew that. 🤣🤣

noidea69 · 27/11/2025 14:14

Just get him something else, something you want to get him.

Then come back here xmas day morning and start a thread about how you are hurt that your husband didnt seem to appreciate the thoughtful gifts you got him.

CharlotteCChapel · 28/11/2025 00:15

DH doesn't really ask for anything except music, usually obscure prog rock. This year though Ive bought him a new backpack as his current one is collapsing, and a travel bottle so he can have his coffee in a way that isn't going to leak over everything.

ThePolarEspresso · 28/11/2025 01:10

This is the first year that I don't want anything at all. It's quite a nice feeling of contentment.

HoppityBun · 28/11/2025 01:16

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
William Morris

Giggorata · 28/11/2025 01:45

We tend only to buy boring useful presents these days.
This year DH is getting a chainsaw and safety stuff, and I am getting the cost of the repairs and cleaning of my long case clock.
We've had new tyres, a Le Creuset frying pan, vehicle repairs, heated throws, a stone bird bath and a lawnmower over the years.

Grumpynan · 28/11/2025 02:27

Well my DH wants a lawn mower. We have one but he wants this particular one. I haven’t a clue what else to buy him, so it’s now sat in my neighbours garage (Amazon Black Friday). We always get a couple of tree presents too, so this year I’ve got him the drill bits he wants/needs and a new watering can 🙄.

looking at them last night I felt it looked so said, yes he might be 67 but he still needs a toy at Christmas. So I’ve gone mad a got him a drone he’ll love it just doesn’t know he needs it yet.

im hoping for a Kenwood mixer

B0D · 28/11/2025 03:44

I love practical presents and have put a small spirit level on my wish list.

Nothankyov · 28/11/2025 16:51

@pinkponie count yourself lucky. That’s 3 things you can get him! 😁 My DH wants socks and my 12 (almost 13) years old wants one Lego (a specific F1 car) and a new book…. I mean I despair

Ariela · 28/11/2025 17:14

Give me practical any day!

I hate fluffy presents - candles, perfume, flowers, wine, make up, mugs, jewellery, clothing, handbags - all the things I wouldn't waste money on myself.
My dad also used to buy me power tools!

Instructions · 28/11/2025 17:21

Most adults I know have asked for practical stuff rather than listing things they don't really need and wouldn't have bought themselves

snoopythebeagle · 28/11/2025 17:42

I always ask for practical stuff for Christmas.

JessicaPeach · 28/11/2025 17:53

TheDandyLion · 26/11/2025 22:36

My mum bought me a really good set of pans for Christmas one year. I wanted them and that was what I asked for. I think of that Christmas morning almost every time I use them with such fondness and gratitude. I can't remember any novelty or fun gift I've received over the years.

This hit me right in the feels. Unexpectedly special gift!

RedToothBrush · 28/11/2025 17:56

I'm all for this.

It means no one is disappointed and equally you don't spend money on stuff you don't need or don't want.

Now if you could find something practical or non practical for a 30 year old single bloke with a dog who is outdoorsy bit has everything (and I've already got a dog thing) I'd be very grateful as I'm really struggling.

RedToothBrush · 28/11/2025 17:58

HoppityBun · 28/11/2025 01:16

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
William Morris

Shame about the John Lewis William Morris branded Christmas baubles. I love William Morris designs and Christmas decorations, but somehow they've fucked this up. They look tacky, cheap and nasty.

Climbingrosexx · 28/11/2025 18:01

pinkponie · 26/11/2025 22:18

DH wants… pans for Christmas, new plates and a salt and pepper grinder. That’s it. Is anyone else’s DH like this? We could afford new ones easily but he insists that this is what he wants 🫤

At least he is making it easy for you. Not very romantic or Christmasy but believe it or not I got a hoover one year and was really chuffed with it 😄 I know, I don't understand that one either 😂