MAIN Entertaining Gift Ideas Wife Gift Ideas

Even husbands who are champions at taking care of kids, cooking and all sorts of home and family 'stuff' can get lost when it comes time to picking something that will really show how much you love and appreciate your spouse. Some husbands give up and let their "better half" pick out what she wants. That works... but it's not really high on the romance meter.

Stay away from...

Some helpful tips? Stay away from household items. Even the prettiest washer-dryer is a work related gift... think of these chore related gifts as a big box of paper clips or a huge box of paper towels for your washroom at work. Useful, yes... but not a great gift idea.

It is not the same thing as a new tool that you really enjoy using. No one loves doing laundry. Making a chore easier does not make it fun! Mops, brooms and cleaning helpers are also not great gift ideas - unless the cleaning helper is an actual person who will do the cleaning... that is a great gift!

A new set of drapes or any home decorating is a gift for the home and everyone in it. How would you feel if your wife installed new drapes for your birthday gift? If there are projects that need doing around the house — do them to make your home nicer, but don't give them as a gift!

Gym memberships and weight loss items are tricky as gifts. While you may be thinking "healthy" she may get the message that you think she needs to lose weight... especially if that might be true. It's not a good gifting message. The only way to get away with giving a gym membership to your wife is to get one that is for both of you and then go together! A pair of bicycles with a promise to use them for rides in the park on weekends is another healthy gift that includes fun times together.

Begin with the things your wife enjoys doing.

What is her idea of a great way to spend time... if she had any to spare. Try to stay out of the kitchen. Cooking can be a hobby, but having to do your hobby three times a day can turns any hobby into an unwelcome activity. A new set of pots falls into the same category as that beautiful washer-dryer. A day with a top chef or a cake decorating course at a culinary school are great out-of-the-kitchen ideas for cooking hobby wives!

Hobbies are always a good starting point. Does your wife love flowers and gardening? Is there a sport that she is crazy about? Does she love to entertain? What music does she like and who are her favorite artists?

Would you describe her as a traveler, fashionista, gourmet, entrepreneur, techie? Is she romantic, practical, religious, political? If you don't know the answers to these questions... find out. Get to know the woman who shares your home!

Most wives have busy lives and are more focused on buying things for the home and family than shopping for themselves. Even if you are lucky enough to have a woman who knows how to pamper herself, there are still plenty of great ways to gift her with sure winners:

• Think out of the box. Take a standard gift and personalize it. Jewelry is not a personal gift, but a necklace with a diamond and setting that matches her engagement ring shows that you gave the gift both thought and caring. Flowers are nice, but a bouquet of her favorite flowers delivered to her at work or at home make an extra special and personal gift. If you live in an area where fruit trees can grow in the yard, a gift tree of her favorite fruit might be just the thing to bring a smile this year... and every time that the fruit ripens for years to come.
  
  
• Stay within your budget. Going overboard and stretching the budget for a gift may seem like a good idea, but when the bills come due and budget arguments start... the present will wind up causing grief in your relationship.
  
  You can give an inexpensive gift that is not a "cheap" gift. Take a weekend trip to a nearby city with a reduced price "package" deal. Turn off the cell phones and don't let anyone interrupt. It may not be the French Riviera, but a romantic dinner and time spent rekindling your romance are sure to be appreciated.
  
  
• Remind her how sexy you think she is. Let your gift tell the woman you married that she is still-and-always your love and your lover. Arrange for a babysitter for the day and go on a date. A picnic in the park or some other "together" activity that you both enjoy followed by a quiet, romantic meal and an evening together — just like before you were married... this would be a good time for lingerie.
  
  A day at the spa can mean a dent in the budget, but have you thought about a "homemade" spa experience. A relaxing scented bath followed by a full body massage is easy to arrange at home as a do-it-yourself project. How much more low cost and romantic at the same time can you get?
  
  
• Computer software is a good idea for the techie wife. Look for programs that focus on her interests. Is she into tracing the family roots? Family tree software shows you noticed and helps her get her research organized. Does she love scrapbooking? Programs with templates and ideas for projects are affordable and wonderful. Has she been dropping hints for a new cell phone or other gadget? Some wives are gamers and a game that you can enjoy together is a real win!
  
  
• If you have kids, including them in planning the gift for mom is a good idea. A scrapbook of pictures with comments from you and the kids reminding mom how much she is loved and appreciated will touch her heart and probably bring tears of joy to her eyes.
  
  
• For the wife who loves fashion, a subscription to one of the top fashion magazines is a nice thought. A trip to Paris, Milan or New York for a live fashion show is an over the top, once in a lifetime gift — but a coffee table picture book about fashion is more in line with most budgets and still shows you care about what she is interested in.
  

More tips & advice about gifts for wives around the Web:

Gift Ideas for My Wife?

Great Gift Ideas for Your Wife

Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Wife

also see -> Gift That Women Really Want