December 10th, 2019 at 9:31 AM ^
Get her a nice earring for Christmas and a matching earring for the anniversary.
One-stop shopping.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:36 AM ^
Anniversary on the 29th here. Also her birthday's in January.
Our solution is that we do birthdays for both of us on my birthday instead (I still do dinner, flowers, that kind of garbage on her real birthday). For our anniversary we usually do a night or two away. Nice time to decompress after the holidays and craziness.
That just leaves Christmas. My wife loves her Nespresso Vertuo (Aeroccino milk frother add-on is a must), a hand made end grain cutting board, or get her 2 gift cards for a day spa, one for her and one for her friend.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:41 AM ^
If she's into pampering get her a high end facial / spa package. I did that for my wife's birthday and she loved it. Included were an hour + facial, manicure and pedicure, and some other weirdness.
Gift card for a med spa (Botox, Juvederm, laser facial, etc) also went over well, but my wife is super vain and is trying to look 17 at 40.
As for your anniversary, we stick to the traditional gifts. Having to find something made of copper, tin, wood, leather, ceramic, etc has made for some fun and interesting gifts over the years.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:57 AM ^
Hat, I just have to say, I'm really proud of you.
3 mentions of facials in that post and not a single sex reference.
December 10th, 2019 at 10:08 AM ^
That was an oversight. I should probably have another cup of coffee.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:48 AM ^
My wife and I aren't really into giving each other physical gifts. This year I did virtually all the Christmas shopping for our kids and my wife said that was a good enough present.
But it sounds like your wife has demands. Wish I could help
December 10th, 2019 at 9:57 AM ^
No physical gifts? I guess you should be among the guys asking Santa for Kate Upton.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:59 AM ^
Nah, what usually happens is we buy all the kids presents and then look at the credit card and say screw it, we don't really need anything anyway.
December 10th, 2019 at 10:10 AM ^
Sometimes we'll decide on a major purchase and make that our gift to each other. One year was a new mattress, another was a new couch, stuff like that.
December 10th, 2019 at 10:20 AM ^
Mattress, couch...I am sensing a theme here.
December 10th, 2019 at 10:31 AM ^
Wife is an msu fan?
December 10th, 2019 at 11:20 AM ^
We do that too. But your earlier post combined with this reminds me of a very old joke:
A prostitute approaches a middle-aged man and makes him an offer: for $200, she will perform any act he can request in three words. He accepts the deal, writes her a check for $200, and says "Paint my house."
December 10th, 2019 at 10:59 AM ^
We're going out of town.
My wife got herself a Dyson vacuum for our anniversary. That thing was not cheap, but she really likes it and, I have to admit, it is pretty dang easy to use. So yeah, I like the vacuum. So practical, but the price makes it not TOO practical, I guess.
Along those lines, I got her a Dyson hair dryer (at her request) for Christmas last year. She LOVES that thing. So practical, but again - the price makes it a little less practical.
She also bought a Dyson air purifier on a whim once. I really hope Dyson quits making new product lines.
December 10th, 2019 at 11:27 AM ^
BLOW ME! 
December 10th, 2019 at 11:06 AM ^
You used to put links to her recipes and pictures and exercise regimen, iirc. And you're in the Cleveland area? I wonder if she would go for some bike rides in the greater area in season. That'd be healthy, be local, be something with time together with you. Maybe plot it out so you could have a picnic lunch? Obviously this would have to be an IOU until April, probably.
It is always dicey to buy jewelry and clothes and flowers and chocolate, etc. I bet she would go for a vacation of some kind. Going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing she might enjoy a week long service trip of some kind together with you.
December 10th, 2019 at 11:23 AM ^
Does she have a Peloton bike? I know she is in to fitness.
December 10th, 2019 at 2:26 PM ^
And give her a 1 year plan and have her document it on social media. That should go over well.
December 10th, 2019 at 11:34 AM ^
Well, at least it means you will never forget your anniversary!
December 10th, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
You think you've got problems - my wife was born on Dec 24th. Ugh!
I've come to really not like December - way too much pressure.
December 10th, 2019 at 12:21 PM ^
Ideas for MrsGrowOld:
-nice pair of tech-friendly winter gloves. You can get inexpensive ones or fancy ones; in your situation you can go fancy and there are so many to choose from.
-go to your nearest L'Occitane store and pick up some indulgent skin care products. They have a Divine Cream which I've only used when they give free samples out but Lord is that a wonderful skin cream. It was like $60 or so for a small jar. Truthfully all of their stuff is good. Ask for help if you are not sure what to get, the people there will help you put together an awesome present.
December 10th, 2019 at 2:18 PM ^
best advice I've ever received here on MGoBlog is to keep a running list of things she talks about on your phone. It turns out that my wife mentions things she likes on an ongoing basis and if I write them down afterwards, gift-giving becomes much easier.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:25 AM ^
A boat and a RV.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:43 AM ^
I have wanted a boat since I was 5 years old. The fact that I don't yet have one is my biggest failure in life.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:46 AM ^
You know what's better than having a boat? Having a friend who has a boat.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:56 AM ^
My friends are mostly poors and not even one has a jon boat. So, like a designated driver, I'll take one for the team and be the friend with a boat.
December 10th, 2019 at 10:12 AM ^
Would need to get some friends in the first place though. I really have only 1, and he's out in SF now.
I don't like new people.
December 10th, 2019 at 11:01 AM ^
Hatter, with as lively and fun as you are that is difficult to comprehend.
December 10th, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
I'm a family first sort of guy. Really a homebody in a lot of ways.
I also have a pretty offensive sense of humor (by 2019 standards) and I don't care to be social with people who I have to censor myself around. I find it hard to relax when I have to watch what I say. I end up just sitting there quietly and everyone thinks I'm an asshole.
December 10th, 2019 at 12:15 PM ^
My sense of humor literally has no boundaries. I've been kicked out of every Facebook group I've ever joined (ok slight hyperbole). I only put a filter on it here because I love this place too much. If we ever meet IRL, I will gladly sit down and have a few beers and listen to your jokes.
But I hear you. I'm not the most social person in the world mostly because small talk and chit chat sucks the life out of me. Idgaf what the weather was like on your vacation or that you're thinking of getting a new carpet.
December 10th, 2019 at 12:41 PM ^
you just need to get some friends with thicker skin. problem solved. maybe that's tough b/c you live in a hoity-toity kind of place, too many people around you that drink with their pinkies extended...
December 10th, 2019 at 1:23 PM ^
Yeah, I really like Royal Oak (good schools, parks, activities, food, etc), but it has changed quite a bit over the last decade or so. Not sure how familiar you are with the area, but Royal Oak is becoming the new Birmingham. People are paying 150-200k for small houses, demolishing them, and building 3k sq ft monstrosities on small lots. And then selling them for 6-700k.
It really has started to change the character of the area. Royal Oak was always a little higher on the middle class city scale, but not like this. I wish I knew what these people did for a living so I could go do the same thing.
December 10th, 2019 at 2:49 PM ^
This is me as well. I do have a few close friends but have known them since I was a kid.
People assume I'm anti-social but it's just not rewarding to chat casually with people that I'll only see maybe 4-5 times in a year if that.
Would rather be doing things with the kids, wife, or alone to relax and self-reflect (which means fishing or camping).
December 10th, 2019 at 2:01 PM ^
maybe you should ask santa for a couple friends that aren't pussies.
one of whom has a boat
December 10th, 2019 at 9:58 AM ^
Boats are where money goes to die.
December 10th, 2019 at 10:14 AM ^
Bust Out Another Thousand.
December 10th, 2019 at 11:22 AM ^
I bought a boat a few years back after saving for years then finding a guy who was dying and just wanted to offload it (I felt guilty and threw him an extra hundred above his fire sale price). Then weeks later a buddy wanted to clear space in his yard, so he sold me his canoe for half price. We've taken out the boat 6 times in the last 3 summers, not at all this last year. I give my son the choice every time we head out fishing and he prefers the canoe. Frankly, so do I.
Long and short of it, if anyone wants to buy a boat for Mad Hatter for Christmas...
December 10th, 2019 at 9:35 AM ^
I want a Kitchen Aid mixer. I love Great British Baking Show and pretty much any culinary TV show. I know I'm also getting it because my parents, partner and siblings all chipped in to get me one. Won't be a surprise, but that's ok.
December 10th, 2019 at 1:56 PM ^
Best use?
Shredded chicken. Thank me later.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:38 AM ^
I get to spend Christmas with my wife's family-in Columbus. Anyone want to trade???
December 10th, 2019 at 9:51 AM ^
She hot? Jk I’m sure she is.
December 10th, 2019 at 11:31 AM ^
We share similar conundrums with in-laws located in Columbus. Maybe this topic is sufficient to start a support group?
December 10th, 2019 at 9:42 AM ^
This U.S. Map from Imus Geographics, which is the best map of the United States I have ever owned.
December 10th, 2019 at 11:00 AM ^
I love maps and that's a really nice one. I have a couple very old European maps in fairly good condition, but they're hard to find (and crazy expensive if the seller knows what they have). I've been waiting one from around 1700-1750 forever now.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:50 AM ^
I want everyone here to have a Merry Christmas. And a Ferrari F40
December 10th, 2019 at 9:53 AM ^
To sit on the couch and watch a couple Diehard movies with my son.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:53 AM ^
If my wife is on the board today, my barn size is 30x40 with 12ft eaves.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:55 AM ^
Another chain saw, new BBQ, and an air compressor.
December 10th, 2019 at 9:57 AM ^
A steering wheel that doesn't fly out of your hands when you're driving!
December 10th, 2019 at 10:18 AM ^
Stinky!