Tuesday, December 09, 2008

The Eyes Have It!

Helen here. I don't know. I think these are too easy. How about you? If you know them all, please don't list them right away. We want everyone to have some fun today guessing!!


Okay, you caught me. This post is my excuse to put up eye pics of hot guys. Warned you guys I was going to do this at some point. See how many you can get!! And I'm not giving you any names. Yet!



After Kylie's post yesterday, I'm going to guess I'm not the only one behind in getting ready for Christmas. Might have something to do with the house full I had here over Thanksgiving. Might have to do with my book deadlines. Could be I'm just disorganized.

Anyone for all three?

To date, I have purchased one gift for my daughter and one for my son. I know. I'm in deep doo-doo.



Honestly, though, I think I've got them covered because, for me, half the problem with gift giving is coming up with ideas. I just need a day or two to run out and frantically go from one store to the next picking up the things on my list. Kids are covered.

The person I ALWAYS have the hardest time buying gifts for is my husband. Mostly because he's one of those people who goes out and buys things for himself pretty much the minute he thinks of them.

I think I've finally convinced him to quit doing that at least a few weeks before his birthday and Christmas. This year, though, I need your help. I need ideas. I'm all out.


So tell me ... what gift turned out to be a favorite of your husband, boyfriend, bro, dad or significant other? Which one was the biggest surprise?


My giveaway during our 12 Days of Christmas celebration is an autographed copy of Finding Mr. Right and ... a 1,000 Places To See 2009 Calendar.

Winner to be announced tomorrow!

Happy, happy holidays, everyone!! Helen

39 comments:

Keri Ford said...

I think I know all these men, but one is stumping me.

On the gift-giving, the hubby is the hardest one for me. I hope my hubby's gift this year will be a complete surprise to him. I found an autographed jersey from his favorite football player of all time. Supposed to have a pic of the player signing that jersey that comes with it.

danie88 said...

ok so i know all of them except for the first one... but i think i know who that one is...

is it Gary Alan Sinise?

the guy from CSI: New York... it looks like him but i dunno... lol

i won't say who the others are... to give them a chance at a guess :)

as far as the best surprise gift... that would be for my dad a few years back... we got him a xbox for christmas and he wasn't expecting it at all... he was so surprised! :D

Playground Monitor said...

Oh my lordy but I know #2 and #8 because I lust after them in my heart. I know most of the rest too but not in my lustful heart. ;-)

My DH is easy to buy for because he gives me a list or leaves an ad on the kitchen table with an item circled. My BIL is the hardest to buy for but last year I hit the jackpot for him. He'd bought an airplane last year and I happened to have some email photos of it that my sister sent and others my uncle sent. I had a free deal with Shutterfly to get some free 4 x 6 prints, so I used the deal to get photos of the plane. Then I got a nice photo album and had his name and the plane's numbers engraved on the front and put the photos in that. When he opened it, he actually said "Oh wow!"

My mom is also hard to buy for because she doesn't need "stuff." For the third year now my sister and I are giving her a membership to Blockbuster Online (similar to Netflix). She gets her movies but doesn't have to spend her retirement dollars to rent them.

The most fun is the grandbaby. Everything is new to her and at 2 1/2, she's really going to be a blast at Christmas. They're coming up the weekend before Christmas and I'm so excited.

Marilyn

Helen Brenna said...

You guys are just too good. Next time, I'll crop in closer to the eyes.

Keri, which # is stumping you? And great gift idea for your dh. If only mine had a fav sports team. Bummer.

Nope, Dani, it's not Gary Sinise, although he would've been a good one! Your dad liked an xbox? Too cool.

Marilyn, a photo album is always a thoughtful gift. I think the gifts that have always meant alot to my dh were the ones the kids and I used to do together. We made a mouse pad with their pics on it one year. Pics framed for his office. That kind of thing.

Keep the ideas coming guys!

Michele Hauf said...

Sorry, Helen, I got nada on the hubby gifts. Mine is always so hard to buy for, too. Shirts just don't seem to cut it anymore. I'll be waiting eagerly for some suggestions here too.

KylieBrant said...

Obviously you all look at hot guys' eyes while my gaze travels.... lower, LOL. I haven't a clue. I think I know Will Smith's but other than that...and maybe Clooney? Where's Mark Harmon???? I looooove him in NCIS.

As far as hubby gifts---Gaaaaak! My dh is awful at Christmas time. He's one of those people who likes to give but he's a poor receiver, LOL. If you ask him he'll say 'Don't get me anything.' Or 'Let's just give each other the trip this spring.' (Do I look stupid? I know we're going on a trip regardless!)

I've been fooled a couple times before when we enter an agreement not to buy for each other and then he slips something sparkly in my stocking and I'm the one who looks like a jerk. So I don't fall for that one anymore!

But he's so hard! He actually shops so he buys his own clothes. Sometimes I'll buy cooler ones so he doesn't look like he shopped at Tractor Supply, LOL. A couple years ago he was excited about the razer phone I bought him. And he liked the Boze stereo equipment last year.

This year I'm getting him a Wii which he wants and I doubt he'll ever use. And a new video camera since he claims he lost the other one. (How do you lose a video camera????)

Helen Brenna said...

Yeah, Michele, the shirt thing doesn't cut it here either.

Kylie - by lower do you mean chins? I did that blog last month. LOL

Oh, a Wii. Have to think about that one. Not sure it's in the budget, but that'd be a surprise.

Let's hope he's not reading this blog today!

Christie Ridgway said...

I'm getting Surfer Guy a radio that attaches to the handlebars of his bike (he rides it to work every day). This is a replacement for a broken one, so it's not a new idea (I also bought him the original). He wanted a toaster oven. Really. Well, he wanted to buy one, but I made him put it off so I can put it under the tree. We're not supposed to be giving many gifts because we bought a big screen TV (65 inches!) as a supposed Christmas gift in October.

Calendars are always good as a filler. Framed photos, like someone else said. Do you have a DVR? (Like Tivo, we get ours through cable co. Surfer Guy got that last Christmas and loves it.) My bro loves his Sirius radio and subscription that my s-i-l got him last year.

Surfer Guy loves beef jerky and one year I bought him a food dehydrator so he could make his own. He loves that.

Keri Ford said...

It's #4. I feel like i know him, but I just can't place him. All the others, I have good guesses.

And thanks for mentioning the calendars! My mom has fussed for a year because she couldnt' find a magnetic calendar. I hopped over to amazon and picked her one up. A jug of peanut oil and she'll be all taken care off! (she wants a small fryer, and I got her one)

KylieBrant said...

How did you guess, Helen, of course I was talking about chins (innocent smile)! But since you've done it already I guess next post you'll have to go...lower.

Robin M said...

I'll give it a go. Is it too early to list the names? Because I have to work to do and won't be back until tonight.

My guesses

1) reminds me of jeff goldblum
2) hugh jackman
3) Al pacino
4) Johnny Depp
5) Patrick something from one of those doctor shows
6) Brad Pitt
7) Will smith of course
8) Daniel Craig

My favorite gift from my husband. On birthday a couple years ago, I was presented with a gift by my son. Opened it up and it's a small remote. I was confused at first what it belong to, then realized it was a remote to new car stereo. He and my son had taken my car while I was at work and had a new stereo installed. It was a big surprise, plus the fact my son had been able to keep it secret from me.


Robin

Unknown said...

Gifts for men!! Yikes. So hard.

I'm giving my eldest son a road trip to the Grand Canyon I think. Mostly cuz I want to hike the Grand Canyon and I want to spend time with him.

But husband. Impossible. He buys everything. Everything. Everything. There's nothing left.

GunDiva said...

A couple of years ago, I built a "Skeeter Special" - a customized 12 gauge shotgun - in black for my brother, who is also a huge Tara Janzen fan. That one perfect gift has gotten me off the hook for the next several years for birthdays AND Christmases!

If I could only come up with perfect gifts like that one every year, I'd be sitting pretty :)

Playground Monitor said...

What about a 2GB flash drive for his computer? Or a USB hub (plugs into the USB port and then lets you plug several deviced into it, thus expanding your USB capability)? Does he travel? If so, a nice hanging toiletries bag? I found something called a Door 2 Door Reminder Valet. I found 8 of them actually and lots of folks are getting those. I got mine at a Ross discount store for about 1/3 the price shown on that website. Does he have facial hair? A trimmer with a vac built in that sucks up the trimmings. Does he like to watch movies? A Netflix or Blockbuster online account. How about one of those charging valets? Holds several devices like cell phone, iPod, etc and has a surge strip hidden underneath so you can charge all your devices in one, attractive place.

If I think of more I'll post them. Right now I'm bidding on a Wii game on eBay.

Marilyn

Verification word = empormie, which is exactly what Christmas is doing

Keri Ford said...

My Two Blessngs, at first I thought Brad was #6, but now I'm starting to think that's Sloan (don't know his real name!).

flip said...

My husband is so hard. His gift is usually a bust. However, I once bought him a pentax camera early in our relationship. He loved it.

traveler said...

Buying for my husband has always been a difficult task. He is practical and loves workman tools which I know nothing about. Otherwise he doesn't care for anything else.

Maureen said...

My husband loves to fish but he has so much stuff that he doesn't need any more. This year we bought ourselves a new television as our combined present and my husband seems pretty happy with it.

Unknown said...

My hubby always orders his Christmas before Christmas every year. He always want a lot of computer parts and this year has been no different. He ordered parts to build his self a new computer so you can't suprize him. There was one year I bought him a tool kit for computers and I think he was a little suprized with that, but he is always way ahead when it comes to what he wants. Me is a different story.

Lori Ann said...

It is difficult to find gifts for my husband and my father. My brother is very easy to shop for because he loves music and movies. He is a musician so anything music related thrills him. Netflix gift certificates are nice too.

I've learned to not buy clothes, watches, or wallets for my dad, though. He never seems too enthused over those. The one thing he really enjoyed was one time I bought him tickets to some football games. He had never attended a professional sporting event in his life, so it was a new experience for him. He also likes tools.

My husband prefers electronics, but he seems to have everything so I'm at a loss what to give him most of the time. He probably appreciates gift certificates more than anything, so he can pick out his own gift.

Helen Brenna said...

Like the Sirius subscription idea, Christie. Will check into that.

#4, huh, Keri. Robin got 'em all. Patrick Dempsey is #5. Anyone get #1?

Lower, Kylie? I should've known. LOL

That's what I'm talking about, Lois!

Helen Brenna said...

Gundiva, there was a day when my dh would've loved getting a gun as a gift. So that was a great idea. Guys and guns. And lap dances. Hey, now there's an idea!

Debra Dixon said...

Wayne adored when I sent him to race car driving school. :) But that couldn't be a surprise. And it wasn't for Christmas!

Okay, so Christmas gift? I suck at buying him presents. I can't buy anything he'd really really want without making sure it was the right car part or the right vintage guitar. The toys he likes are very specific and you often can't take them back!

So, we mostly give each other "little nothings" like a CD or a new quilting ruler. Sounds boring but the risk is smaller and we can like our gifts! (g) We got out of the habit of big Christmas gifts a long tim ago. Thank goodness. Because, as I mentioned...I suck at it.

Helen Brenna said...

Marilyn, he's got all those things. Stinker. But thanks for the ideas.

Flip, a camera would be a perfect gift for my dh, except that he just bought a new one not long ago.

Traveler, Maureen, Virginia, Raven - apparently I'm in good company!!

Helen Brenna said...

Deb - that was no help whatsoever! Dang. 'Cause I even suck at the little gifts. He never likes the cds I get or the movies.

I'm so screwed this year.

Playground Monitor said...

Well... you could hire a barbershop quartet to go serenade him at work. ::grin::

And I love my satellite radio in the car so that's a good suggestion.

KylieBrant said...

Marilyn--thanks for the heads up on the day to day valet! I just ordered five for stocking stuffers (4 sons and my dh)! I'm so excited...maybe now my husband will have a place to put the stuff from his pockets that usually go on the kitchen counters!

Playground Monitor said...

Happy to help. If I could just get the DH to put his glasses away properly... Of course, they've been lost for over a week now and he swears they're in the house. But neither of us can find them. And they're those expensive ones too -- rimless progressive trifocals with the indestructible frames.

Cindy Gerard said...

Hey Helen - good luck. I'm no help at all. I've got the same problem you do.

Hey GunDiva - Glenna McReynolds - aka Tara Janzen is a good friend of mine. I can't WAIT to tell her you had a Skeeter Special built for your brother. --- Or maybe you've already told her? In any event she'll get a huge charge out of that!.

Jane said...

I can never go wrong with getting a wallet for dad. He's always in need of a new one every year. Shirts are also a big hit with him. My brother is a little harder to shop for. The gifts that got the best reception were an electric shaver and a soccer jersey.

Jane said...

#1 is Gerard Butler.

GunDiva said...

Cindy,
Glenna knows - the Skeeter Special is the twin to my shotgun. We met when she took a firearms class that I was co-teaching a few years ago. Now if I could just afford to build the twin to Kid's sniper rifle... Guys and guns - when I worked at a local gunshop Christmas Eve was always the busiest day of the year.

All - I love the suggestions, but I'm totally stuck with gift ideas for my fiance. What is it with men buying what they want/need and leaving us women in a lurch come present time? I adopted a giraffe (his favorite animal) in his name for his birthday, but that's it, I'm spent. No clue about Christmas. UGH! Men.

Asylumgirl said...

My husband's favorite gift I've given him would probably be his cordless drill and he does use it the most.

Deidre

catslady said...

After 40 yrs. of marriage I think my best present to my husband was season tickets to the Pittsburgh Steelers. We had the tickets for over 15 years (until we had kids) and they won a couple of superbowls during that time and we have lots of happy memories but we both agree we would never want to stay out in that cold now to watch them lol.

Michele Hauf said...

I know who #1 is! Just saw him in Rock 'N Rolla

mslizalou said...

My dad loved when get gave him the complete collection for M*A*S*H last year. I think it was his favorite show ever and the collection also includes the original movie and some reunion shows.

Those are some beautiful eyes. I knew most of them, but a couple have stumped me.

Estella said...

My family only buys for the children.

Robin M said...

Snaps finger. Patrick Dempsey. I couldn't remember his last name for the life of me.

This year I'm getting hubby the louj - its a robotic gutter cleaner. Something he has wanted for a while. Otherwise he's easy with military or political books, nikon lenses or tools. Tools are always a good fallback. It doesn't matter how many they have, they want more. :)

Robin

Caffey said...

I'm so bad, I don't know many actors so I could only guess a couple of them! I know, I got to start watching more movies and TV.

For the holidays, we just do one gift exchange between the four of us now for a few years and I remember when we first did that and added in more fun, such as watching some holiday shows and playing some board games. With my two children (young adults) and my hubby and I, playing scrabble, we would be laughing so hard because hubby would be cheating making up words and sometimes we'd challenge him and find out they were indeed words! That first Christmas we had to make some changes but we got so much more with the laughter, that we look forward to doing it again!

Don't put me in this contest since I have this book to read soon!