From her, for him
Gifts don't have to stop at Christmas. If you're still shopping for your guy in 2013, be it a new flame or the one who put a ring on it, here are 10 ideas to help you say "Thanks for putting up with all the holiday stress!"
Foot notes
If he secretly loves his shoes just as much as you do , Vans and Converse both allow you to customize a pair of kicks with a personal message sewn into the side. Consider it a way to reassert your vows or remind him of an inside joke. He'll love the personal touch.
Luxury shaving kit
Teach him to love his morning or nighttime routine with something besides Gillette and splurge on a luxury shaving kit for him. They always say a great shave starts the day right, right? Now they do! To complete this gift, attach a handmade coupon for a 14-day pass for no shaving, "because a clean shave is great but scruffy is sexy." Hopefully, he'll catch the drift that his beard is his ticket to spicing things up with you.
Couples' massage
Holidays are stressful with wrapping up the busy year at work while also trying to juggle family affairs. Reward him after all is said and done with a healthy form of escapism to the closest resort spa. If you really want to splurge, book a one night stay complete with a fancy dinner and a hot night away from home. If not, spend the day using the spa's amenities and swimming in the pool. Then take things home for a romantic night.
Risque business
This Kama Sutra Twister game will definitely require a walk on the wild side, for both of you. If the relationship is new, go for something more PG. But if you guys are taking things to the next level, feel free to test your comfort level and take him by surprise with an R rated game.
A message in a bottle
Try getting a little crafty to show him where he stands with you. Write him a letter about your last year together, curl it up and slip it into a bottle. Get inspired by Pinterest or Etsy for some unique ideas. You can make it as long or as short as you want and it will probably depend on the status of your relationship. If it's new love, go for short and sweet. If it's a long-term relationship, take a moment to say the things you forget to say during day-to-day life.
Make his mark
A set of four monogrammed beer mugs? It doesn't get more manly. If he's not a beer drinker, you can choose from an assortment of wine, shot and cocktail glasses instead. If he's a new guy, you'll show him you've taken notice of his drink of choice, and it's the little things that go a long way. To get creative, frost the glasses and store them in the freezer. Wrap up a note that says something like, "Your gift is a cold one. Look in the freezer."
Bottle openers
These bottle openers are made from real baseball bats used during real MLB games. Do some digging about his favorite team if you need to and then treat him to a piece of memorabilia half from you, half from "his boys."
A man's apron
Make his grilling routine even hotter by giving him this DIY men's apron. You can most likely pick up the plain apron at your closest Marshalls and source the rest of the materials at your local craft or hobby store.
Wrap yourself in his tie
Get a personalized, monogrammed neck tie made . Instead of wrapping it in traditional wrapping paper, tie it around your neck and surprise him by wearing nothing but the tie on after the kids have gone to sleep to wait for Santa.
A year of dates
In 12 manila envelopes, plan 12 big date nights or weekend getaways for you and your guy. Some ideas might include sky diving, a movie and pizza night and a weekend up north and a day of hiking. You can tack on additional coupons for each date like a massage before bedtime or a trip to the tool aisle at Sears. Kudos to Shannon Brown for this crafty idea!