The Gift Detective » For Boyfriend

Sleuthing Sunday: I Spy a Very Cool Gift!

The Gift Detective — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:01:36 +0000

My boyfriend found this W Phonewatch, by Kempler & Strauss ($199.99) online and, if his phone was compatible, would buy it ASAP!

Yes – it is a watch and a phone!

This watch is among several of its kind ($99-$359.99) and it really brings a futuristic twist to every day life. Honestly, what gadget lover wouldn’t love to sport a phone watch? Not only is it neat and useful but is also very reminiscent of those ultra-cool gadgets in the spy movies – sure to please many recipients!

This is an item that will be most appreciated by the men, not because women won’t love a gadget like this but because none of the current styles are very feminine.

Not only is this a unique gift, it is also fun and practical. A phone watch is so convenient and portable in instances where your guy doesn’t have pockets (exercise) and all the while he can look so very James Bond whilst dialing out on his watch.

So, although this might put more of a dent in your pocketbook, the next time you think “he has everything” think about this gift and whether it might be the ticket to putting a huge smile on his face!

This is a great gift for boyfriends (he won’t ever have the excuse of not having his phone with him again!), husbands, brothers, fathers…older men might not like this gift however so be sure to carefully consider who you are thinking if buying this for. For instance, an older gentleman with failing eyes might find the small screen (small screen = small print!) frustrating or someone who is hard of hearing might find using a bluetooth headset difficult. Obviously, someone who barely uses their cell phone would not like this gift either. But don’t let that discourage you! Many people would definitely love this gift and it would make a superb Father’s Day, Birthday or Anniversary gift, among others. I can easily imagine giving this to a man with a card that says something along the lines of “Because I love communicating with you!”

Is your man a Bond movie buff or loves spy movies? You could buy him a Bond flick and then present him with the phone watch.

Another great way to gift this would be to just make the present ring. Set up the phone watch, wrap it up and call him. He won’t expect to hear his present ringing and he will be even more surprised when he sees that it is a phone watch!

Make sure that his phone is compatible with the watch! Call customer service first, if you are unsure. This is a really important part of this gift so taking that extra time will be well worth it. Find a style will suit him and work well. Phone watches are not going to be the primary way he will make all his calls because all that small circuitry has limitations, but it will still be a gift that he will be able to use, enjoy and even want to show off!

Happy gifting!

Frugal Friday: Aerobie Football

The Gift Detective — Fri, 29 May 2009 08:23:12 +0000

I swear, I am not in any way affiliated with the folks over at Aerobie (although I just signed up to be notified of their new products – yeah!). I just love any of their products I’ve tried so far (and, judging from all the positive reviews on so many of their products, so do lots of other people!).

So, imagine my surprise and delight as I’m walking through the store and I see the Aerobie® Football?!?!? What??? I didn’t even know they made a football!

This is exactly like the football I got! Pretty and fun - the best of both worlds.

Aerobie® Football available through Amazon
Well, you know I had to get it as a gift for my boyfriend who just loves footballs or any type of sports related ball. He even taught me how to throw a little bit better (we sometimes stand at opposite ends of the room with a mini-football and see how many times we can throw it back and forth without dropping it).

Let’s just say it’s a hit. I love it. He loves it. His dad loves it. His mom will probably love it too, just not for the same reasons! She’ll love the fact that we prefer to play with it outdoors (it’s a nine inch football and is more fun to throw distances) so we won’t be likely to break anything by playing in the house. This was $12 well spent because it will offer us hours of fun and variety. Another winner by Aerobie, ladies and gentlemen.

Enough about us loving it – who is this a good gift for? Especially with summer coming this becomes a really versatile gift. You want to give this to someone who is active or loves to play outside, young or old, male or female. Like your friends who have you over for dinner and have the badminton set up or pull out the Frisbee to play with.

It’s inexpensive so you could give it as a host/hostess gift for any of the invites to the summer parties, BBQs, pool parties, beach and lake getaways. You could bring a bottle of wine like everyone else or bring something that is fun and will outlast the evening. It also makes a great birthday gift for anyone who loves to play (child or adult) because , although it is a simple present, it is a really fun one.

Does your boyfriend or spouse love football? Give him one and go out and play with him! This doubles the gift giving because he gets the joy of playing football with the one that he loves. Even if you don’t particularly like football, you might actually even enjoy playing with this one and you will make him a very happy man. It’s really light so it is a breeze to take it to the park to have some fun!

This football is the type that lots of people will enjoy, regardless of age or gender, because it flies and spirals so easily, it makes the most inept look and feel like a pro (namely me!). It is soft and easy to catch so the kids aren’t going to get hurt playing with adults or older children, unless, of course, you decide to play tackle football. It basically levels the playing field a lot so that everyone has fun, no special skills required. So, that means that it would be a great gift for a child or a family that plays a lot.

The Aerobie® Football would be a great thank you gift for active and playful people as well. Forgot to bring a host/hostess gift? No problem – give them this after the fact as a thank you. This works especially well if you have new friends in your life that you don’t know all that well yet but are finding things out about them as you go along. Thank you gifts are a great way to express that you not only wish to thank someone, but it also shows that you were paying attention to them while you were spending time together (by giving them something that you think they will like) and that you were thinking of them after the fact. This is what helps make gifts personal!

If we have some nice weather this weekend I’ll try to get some video of people playing with the football so that you can see how wonderful it is.

Happy gifting!

Pier 1: It Surprised Me!

The Gift Detective — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:41:08 +0000

I don’t think gift shopping when I think of Pier1 but, lo and behold, I wandered in a little while ago and I was pleasantly surprised at the wide array of possibilities to suit every budget.

For instance – need a host gift? They have all sorts of dips, mustards, marinades and tapenades that are incredibly affordable from $4.18-$6.00. Stock up on several and bring a small assortment to the next dinner party you are invited to or lavishly wrap up a few single jars in advance and pair them with appropriate things such as appetizers with appetizer picks, serving ware, marinade brush, etc. to make a simple but thoughtful gift.

Get the love in your life a turtle massager or a nubby massager and then set the mood with some candles and surprise him or her with a romantic massage. There are a variety of massagers and many work well with massage oil so that, even if you are tired or your hands aren’t used to giving massages, these make the recipients experience nice as well as enabling you to give a little more.

A great all purpose sort of gift for a thank you, host/hostess, gift for your sweetie and more is a game set. This handcrafted wooden set is only $12.48 and is sure to provide some fun – whether for an evening of games with your friends, a quiet evening with your love or a thoughtful addition to that vacation home that you were thankful to use, it is something that will provide lasting entertainment value.

Everybody and their brother brings alcohol to those summertime get togethers. Instead of bringing another $20 worth of beer, wine or liquor, why not bring a fun game that will create something much more lasting…memories! Bring your camera and prepare to laugh as people enjoy the sun and the fun with a good old fashioned game of ring toss.

Men – get your girlfriend or wife a cute little jewelry box and some inexpensive but nice jewelry. I saw lots of wonderful earring, bracelets and necklaces there that were between $5-$20 and perfect to add some casual summer sparkle to her wardrobe. Two simple rules: 1. make sure that you think she would look beautiful in it and 2. pay attention and don’t get her something like pierced earrings if she doesn’t have pierced ears or if she wears a lot of bracelets but you don’t see her in necklaces, go for a bracelet instead – perhaps she doesn’t wear them because she doesn’t particularly like necklaces (you won’t really know unless you do a bit of sleuthing but pay attention and there are usually subtle clues to pick up on).

So, get creative and stock up on some of those little gifts so that you have a thank you, host/hostess or anytime gift for your guy or gal on hand!

Happy gifting!