All I Want for Christmas: A Holiday Gift Guide for Dads Part I

From work to more work to working some more, rocking our babes at 2 AM, then bouncing back up again at 7:15 for Wiggly Waffle and snuggles on the sofa (before work), to rowdy games of chase, bedtime stories, then sharing kitchen duty and running through the whole drill all over again, every day, my husband is the hardworking-est person I know. 

What do I get for this incredible guy who is everything to my two tiny boys and me?  What Christmas gift is enough to say all I’d like to about how dear he is, how much he is appreciated?  Well, nothing.  Nothing can possibly say it all, or even come close.

Curbing my urge to hover, asking less, understanding more and some sugar would probably go a long way, but I can’t wrap those up and put them under the tree, so I’ve attempted to find some cool things to help my dear husband slow down this frenetic pace our life has set and take some time out for himself.  If I could, I would give him all of this and more, including a week-long tropical vacation and a new pair of skis, both of which he sorely needs, but a blog post will have to do. 

A Crazy-Good Massage ($70.00 - $110.00)
Spas are for boys, too, but you don’t necessarily have to provide the fluffy robe and slipper frills.  Try a more pared-down establishment, like Heaven Nail Spa in Denver.  Your hubby may bristle at being dropped off at a nail salon (throw in a mani/pedi if he doesn’t, because you know he needs it), but he will not believe the crazy magic fingers on one Ms. Sogi—she gave me a shoulder massage that made me feel like warm butter, so ask for her by name.  If you’r e in NYC and haven’t checked out Graceful yet, your priorities are WAY out of whack.  Even though they squeeze clients into sheet-partitioned cubicles (they’ve got Manhattan real estate prices as an excuse), we consider planning cross-country trips to the city just to go get massages here.  

Smartwool Socks ($18.95) & Baselayer ($75.00) 
“Ohh.  Socks.  Um, thanks. . .”  Not so with Smartwool.  Dudes dig this stuff like you love cashmere.  Everything Smartwool has a utilitarian luxury to it so you really can’t go wrong, but I’ve chosen the Diamond Jim socks and NTS Microweight Zip T baselayer to keep my honey warm on his annual ski mancation this coming year.

A Hot Lather Straight Razor Shave & Man Movie (~$40.00)
If your man isn’t the mani/pedi sort, an old-fashioned hot lather straight razor shave with a shoulder massage at Floyd’s Barber Shop is its equivalent.  Make the appointment, drop him off, leave the kiddos with a sitter and pick him up for lunch and a showing of something really man-ish, like Avatar, "the story of an ex-Marine who finds himself thrust into hostilities on an alien planet. . ." (um, yeah, sounds good, right?).

Timbuk2 Dolores Chiller ($110.00)
Because it can do double-duty as a dude diaper bag, this Timbuk2 messenger is a stealth gift for you, but it’ll make your man feel like the coolest dad on the cul-de-sac.  A longstanding favorite of mine (a small messenger I bought in college still looks virtually new in spite of some very harsh use), Timbuk2 bags always over-deliver, but now they've stepped it up again with the Dolores Chiller, a wine, beer, baby bottle and snack cooler for jazz in the park and other impromptu outdoor fun.

Boys’ Night Out ($50.00 - $800.00)
Moms aren’t the only ones whose social lives wane when the kids come along.  Gone are the days of Mad Men dads sitting at bars to wind down after work until the kids are in bed.  They’re here in the trenches with us chicks (where they should be) and they need some me-time, too, so treat your beloved to a boys’ night out.   If your budget is tight, give him carte blanche at your house for poker night or a big game.  Set up all the food and drinks then take your leave.  If you’re able, get him two of the best tickets your family can afford to an awesome game (for Dave that would be Red Wings, his native team, v Colorado Avalanche).  Check dates and locations somewhere like www.stubhub.com and throw in dinner at a great steakhouse, like the Denver Chophouse.  Oh, and don’t stop short.  Let him sleep it off the next morning—no monkeys bouncing on the bed or honey-do’s before noon.  

Happy holidays to you, hot mamas, and to your honeys and babes, too.
M.

 

 

Comments

[jayme]

Great picks. I especially love the floyd's shave . . . never thought of that! Thanks for the help!

[Grace]

Hi! I just found this blog a few days ago, and love it! However, it would be great to see one of those "About me" or bio sections on you guys. Obviously, you are stylish moms, but would be cool to hear a little more about your inspiration. Keep up the good finds!

[Molly]

Thanks for your comment, Grace!  Were working on fleshing out the site a bit more, so bear with us well have more info up soon.

[Annie]

Oh, if only I could wrap up "less nagging" (and follow through on it). LOVE the idea for the shave - there is a barbershop in Seattle called Rudy's, that I'm guessing does something similar. Will have to check that out!