Grrr! What would you do with him??????

zaksmum

My O/H has always been a total pain to buy for at Christmas and birthdays but I've always coped - somehow! - by racking my brains and coming up with things I would've thought he'd like.

This year he said I'm not to buy him anything he doesn't specify that he wants. He says he's sick of keeping a smile on his face when I get him things he doesn't like or want.

So I'm gritting my teeth, trying to smile sweetly and asking him what exactly he DOES want. He says he'll give it some thought...and has been saying that for weeks.

I've pointed out that time's getting on and I need to know what he wants. No luck.

I just don't know what to do now.

I've got to get him something but I feel like strangling him. He's 60.

amibovvered

I'm presuming you've already thought of things like magazine subscriptions, DIY clobber, booze etc so no point in me trying to suggest anything when I don't even know him! He has a point of course, no point spending money on something he doesn't want but that isn't much help to you if he won't think of anything to tell you!

How about putting an IOU note in an envelope then in a box with lots of packing and another box and so on with lots of gaudy paper and ribbons. At least he has something to open!

:santa2:

DianneB

How rude of him! Personally I wouldn't bother getting him anything. I am married to a soon to be 59 year old christmas hating scrooge, we have brought ourselves a joint present this year (freeview recorder). He's not getting anything else but I think there will be a few surprise pressies from santa for me under the tree, I just buy and wrap them myself! I don't think he notices. I think that by the time you get to their age if they really want something they will buy it anyway so unless they have a particular hobby you can buy for it's just not worth it.

Hope you have a really lovely christmas.

debsy42

I have one at home the same, my advice is do exactly as he wishes, don't buy him anything. My OH would rather I buy him something as and when he wants, not just some random present just for the sake of opening a pressie on Christmas Day.

He feels really bad if someone buys him something that he doesn't want/need, he would rather they saved their money and not buy anything at all.

So, I would tell him that you're not going to buy anything until he asks you for something and most important of all, don't feel guilty !!

SugarSpun

I'd buy him a suitcase and offer to help him pack it

But more seriously that is incredibly rude of him and unless you've been buying him wilted flowers from the petrol station for years completely uncalled for. I would probably not bother buying him anything at all, if he can't be grateful then why waste your time?

sarah182xxx

what about a meal voucher or a cinema voucher ? you could wrap them nicely with popcorn etc for the cinema vouchers. iam sure everything you have bought him before was lovely too. its abit mean to say what he did. xxxx

spendingmad

Don't get him anything!

my OH was exactly the same so one year I didnt buy anything and he was actually quite upset, might make him grateful next year!

zaksmum

DianneB wrote: »

How rude of him! Personally I wouldn't bother getting him anything. I am married to a soon to be 59 year old christmas hating scrooge, we have brought ourselves a joint present this year (freeview recorder). He's not getting anything else but I think there will be a few surprise pressies from santa for me under the tree, I just buy and wrap them myself! I don't think he notices. I think that by the time you get to their age if they really want something they will buy it anyway so unless they have a particular hobby you can buy for it's just not worth it.

Hope you have a really lovely christmas.

Thanks Dianne. Trouble is I would feel guilty if I didn't get him anything. He always asks what I want and I physically take him to the shop and show him...he buys it there and then and says he hopes I don't expect him to wrap up anything for Christmas morning!

Well, this year he can go to blazes. I'm not going to tell him what I want either...so there...!

Hope you have a good one too.

zaksmum

Thanks sugar spun, debsy, spendingmad and sarah. Sugar spun, I love your idea of buying him a suitcase and helping him pack it...!

Emmylou_2

If he wants nothing - buy him nothing.

Available from IWOOT http://www.iwantoneofthose.com/nothing/index.html

SugarSpun

Alternatively, you could just buy yourself something and tell him that since he didn't want anything and you did you thought you would give him the gift of "not having to bother getting you anything". And you could wrap it nicely and tag it to yourself.