Wife Gift Ideas – How to Pick Perfect Presents

Thoughtful Wife Gift Formula

Have you ever wondered how to “add” thoughtfulness to your gifts toyour wife? This seemingly elusive property can be added to just about any gift with two simple steps.

Most guys think that once the gift has been identified and acquired that the process stops there, however they are missing out on a huge opportunity to take their gift to the next level.

Just a Second, What’s The Point?

Take a second to think about the end objective. The aim of giving a gift in the first place is not just because it’s tradition or because the occasion calls for it, the real aim is making your wife feel special. If you give a thoughtful present that demonstrates that you put some care and attention into the choosing of it then it will make a much better present because it will make her feel cared for and special.

Step 1. Presentation

Many guys have a bind spot when it comes to wrapping gifts. They either don’t wrap it or they just use whatever comes to hand to shield it from view until the last minute. Perhaps they think that it’s just a total waste of money or is a ridiculous embellishment. There is no need to go to extreme lengths, but if you are going to go to the bother of buying a gift then you should wrap it.

A wrapped-up present has something exciting about it, when you unwrap it, it’s a bit like being a child again. There are plenty of hassle-free gift wrap options like boxes, or bags with tissue paper.

By giving a gift a fancy exterior you are transforming it into something much more exciting. Not only do you give her the pleasure of unwrapping an “exciting parcel” but you get to watch her do it.

Step 2. Presentation

There is another level of presentation that most guys miss out on, it’s the words that accompany the gift. Some men just thrust their gift away hurriedly and silently, or with a few short words, or worse, with an apology.

Never, ever apologise for a gift as you are just robbing your wife of the pleasure of receiving your gift.

When a gift is given, it has maximum thoughtfulness impact if there are a few accompanying words. All that is required is a little something about why you choose that gift for her.

Even if it’s one of those “old faithful” gifts that you get her every year, you can still say something like “I chose this because I know you love it”. Contrast that with “Sorry love, it’s all they had!”.

Same gift but the words that you use along with it can either raise it up to new heights or drop it down a level.

By making sure that you pay attention to the two types of presentation- the gift wrap and the accompanying words, you can be sure of maximizing the positive impact that your gift will have on your wife.

You can make your gift seem more special to her which it turn will make her feel more special to you, which is the whole point of a gift in the first place!

How To Show Your Wife You Love Her

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…”
–by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

OK it’s time to get back to basics.

Why Buy Any Gift?

We all know that the reason why buy gifts in the first place is a way of showing our love- that’s the aim to keep in mind. However, just like there are different learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) so there are corresponding ways for feeling loved.

Visual Gift Ideas

The visual learner absorbs information best by looking at pictures, graphs, diagrams, and illustrations. To communicate love, the visual person needs to see it. The best gifts are tangible things that can be seen:

• visually interesting or colourful gifts
• flowers
• photographic gifts that show you both together

When speaking to your wife, if she’s a visually oriented person, look her directly in the eye and be aware of your body language and facial expressions, as they’ll all be providing subconscious visual clues to her.

Auditory Gift Ideas

The auditory oriented person needs to hear it in order to “get it”. Love is communicated by telling her that you love her and also by the tone of the voice- these all “say” that you care about her. The best gifts for the auditory oriented wife are:

• Music and audio books
• Concerts
• Opportunities to talk and discuss e.g. a dinner or date in place where you can talk and listen to each other

An auditory-oriented partner needs to hear the words “I love you” frequently.

Kinesthetic Gift Ideas
In a relationship with a kinesthetic oriented woman, if you don’t touch her often, she may not feel loved by you or may even feel rejected.

Snuggles on the couch, big bear hugs, holding hands or massages are all happily received by kinesthetics. The best gifts for the auditory oriented wife are:

• massages or pampering at a spa
• dancing together
• soft, warm, tactile fabrics and goods like snuggly sweaters, scarves, pashminas

How to tell which type your wife is

By knowing which type your wife is, you can tailor-make the gift to suit her and know that it will be communicating the real purpose of the gift more powerfully.

If you have read this article and still have no idea which type or types your wife fits in to then I offer two strategies:

1. Cover all your bases with all three!

Most people have a bit of each in their make-up so by choosing gifts and activities that cover the auditory, visual and kinesthetic you are making sure that your message will be delivered in the gift.

2. Ask her.

With questions like “Do you know that I love you?” and then “How do you know?” she will reveal the ways that she currently associates with your showing her how you love her. Listen carefully and then try to figure out which category it is. Or you can just do more of the same, but better and use your imagination to expand on it.

I hope this has offered you an insight into more effective ways of coming up with wife gift ideas!

You may live with your wife and be the family member that she spends most of her time with but…that doesn’t mean that you are automatically going to be the one who can come up with the best gift ideas!

Maybe it’s like that saying about not being able to see the wood for the trees?

Whatever it is, you can really use some outside help on thinking up the best wife gift ideas and if your wife has a sister that she talks to then you are in luck!

I’m a sister, and especially round about gift-giving times of year I’m constantly scanning conversations and emails for clues for gift ideas. Recently I visited a sister and stayed at her house, and just that few days worth of listening and taking note has given me enough “gems” to see me though Christmas and her next birthday with plenty of gift ideas for people who might be in need of some help.

OK so I’m tuned in to this stuff and maybe not everyone’s sister is scanning & storing top gift ideas like I do, but, the point is, that the information is there and with a little encouragement you might uncover a gem or two that you never would have thought of yourself.

So your mission is to get in touch with a woman that wife regularly talks to and to extract some ideas. If your wife has a sister then that’s a good bet, otherwise a close friend of even a colleague that she gets on well with. You can just be honest about it and say that you’d really appreciate some help in coming up with new ideas. Presumably the sister/friend of your wife’s actually likes your wife so she’ll be invested in wanting to help out!

You can ask if she has mentioned wanting to try anything out recently- that can be anything from a new food, kind of exercise or cosmetic product, and most of these will tranlate very easily into gift opportunities. If it’s someone that your wife has known for a long time then you can rewind a little and ask questions about what she wanted when she was little.

This strategy may not give you a list of ready-made ideas, but it is sure to provoke some thought and produce some new ideas that will help you come with fantastic gift ideas for your wife.

Perfume can make a fantastic present, for some couples it’s as much a part of the traditional Christmas as pulling crackers or decorating the tree! However if you buy the same perfume year in year out and you feel like you would like a bit of a change, or that she would but you don’t have a clue how to go about choosing a new scent then I have a couple of helpful ideas.

First up- the technological solution, well kind of…

There’s a web site that takes the brand that your lady currently wears and then will make some suggestions of other brands that are similar. http://www.scentmap.com is the place to go to try it out. Once you have an initial group of suggestions you can then use the “remote control” to help you find new scents.

Next, ask the expert

Armed with a few suggestions courtesy of scent map, you next port of call is the perfume counter. Try to go at a time when you will be able to actually ask the assistant some questions, or go to  place where you can try a few out (on a little piece of card might be better than your own skin for this) as in the end, if you hate the perfume, then it’s not going to make for a successful gift in the long run.

If all else fails…

The “cofret” makes a great option! This is a little mini selection box of a few different perfumes. It’s a great way to try out new perfumes without having to invest in a normal-sized bottle, and they fit very nicely into handbags plus in these days of low-cost flights, it can be very useful to have tiny versions for your hand luggage.

This year it seems like practical gifts are the way to go!

The frivolous and ornamental don’t seem to occupy much of a space in the gift lists at the moment which might give a husband some problems. What can I buy that’s practical and thoughtful?? you may be asking yourself.

My own take on it is that a thoughtful gift is simply one which shows you have noticed something about her.

It can be something obvious like a hobby or an interest where you buy a piece of kit that will be useful to her, or that you know she wanted. Or it can be something small like knowing she has cold feet.

You can turn an ordinary gift like chocolates or perfume into a thoughtful one by choosing the one she prefers. You can also make it into a thought-less gift by choosing one that she does not like.

So for practical gifts, there are actually a lot more areas for gift ideas than you might realise. I know plenty of people who do not seem to have a real focussed interest in something- they have busy working lives and the day seems to get swallowed up by commuting, working and watching TV at home.

But even here there are opportunities to find practical and thoughtful gifts for your wife. Take a look at some of these areas that you might have overlooked…

• Thoughtful and Practical Gifts For Women Who Suffer From Back Pain
• Perfect Presents For Getting Out Of Bed In The Morning in Winter
• Top Gift Ideas For Commuters on the Train, Underground, Bus or other Public Transport
• Practical and Unusual Presents For Cold and Flu Sufferers

Practical Wife Gift Ideas

It can be difficult coming up with new gift ideas once you have exhausted the usual suspects like

• hobbies and interests,
• gift vouchers and
• perfume/chocolates/underwear.

Sometimes a practical gift can be very well received because it shows that you have noticed some detail about your wife’s life and that you cared enough to try and find a way to help alleviate the problem.

Back pain could be the result of different causes, if it’s serious then the best course of action is to seek medical advice. This list of ideas is intended only for occasional back discomfort.

Hot Back Wrap or Belt

These wraps can be used to heat the back in order to ease nagging back pain. Some models include magnet wave therapy as studies have shown that magnets may be an effective therapy for enhancing blood flow and pain relief.

Massage or Treatment by Physiotherapist or Chiropractor

If your wife enjoys massages then a session with a back pain specialist could be a soothing treat. You could make the massage as part of spa day which can include something else your wife would enjoy such as a manicure, swimming, sauna,

Stability Ball or Swiss Ball

These are great for improving core strength, including back muscles because even just sitting on the ball your body responds to the instability of the ball to remain balanced, thus engaging many more muscles. This ball could be used for exercising at home with, or is also extremely useful for stretching.

By stretching and/or strengthening the core muscles you can prevent back pain from occurring because your core muscles will be stronger.

Yoga or Pilates DVD

The stretching and moves in yoga and Pilates are very powerful in preventing back pain. The combination of stretching and strengthening moves helps to do naturally improve strength and flexibility thus helping to prevent back pain.

Long Thermal Underwear/Base Layer

Sometimes the thing that triggers back pain can simply be a cold draught that chills exposed skin. Fashions such as low-riding jeans or hipsters leave the middle section exposed. Thermal underwear that’s long will cover this area and keep it protected and warm. These days base layers in hi-tech fabrics like ultra fine merino wool are comfortable and a delight to wear.

Top Gift Ideas Lists

Thinking up thoughtful and practical wife gift ideas does not require any specialist skills or mind-reading abilities, all you need to do is notice the little things. Like colds and flu. For instance, if your wife is one of those people who regularly gets the sniffles once the colder weather moves in, then the following list could be a great source of inspiration for top gift ideas!

1. Juice For Health

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure so they say. I’m not a doctor but I can tell you that I have not had a cold in three years, which is roughly when I stopped eating animal foods and opted for fruits and vegetables instead. If making the switch is too big to deal with right now then take a step in the right direction with a juicer. These machines can help you up your intake of the incredibly beneficial properties of fresh fruits and vegetables, and they’re delicious! Not only that but it can be a useful tool for weight loss too.

Extra credit: get a juicing recipe book to go with the machine.

2. Cold or Warm Humidifier

One thing that makes winter feel uncomfortable, even inside a warm building, is low humidity. People need a certain level of humidity to feel comfortable. In winter, the lack of indoor humidity can dry out your skin and mucous membranes. Low humidity also makes the air feel colder than it actually is.

These little devices provide relief from coughs, colds and flu symptoms and also relieve congestion from allergy and asthmatic-type symptoms.

3. Warm Accessories

Ear muffs, scarves, snoods, hats, neck warmers, gloves, leg warmers and arm warmers come in a dazzling array of shapes, styles, prices, colours and fabrics. Go for micro-fleece editions for sporty women, designer labels for designer gals or plain and sensible, but warm and snuggly for the practical woman.

Extra credit: Get a matching set in her favourite colours or from a favourite clothing designer.

4. Steam Inhaler

For cold, flu, bronchitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, and allergy sufferers, steam inhalers can offer relief. With a few drops on a suitable essential oil they can really help clear that congested feeling that colds create. They can also be used to help clean pores or intensify the effects a facial masque.

Extra credit: get one two little bottles of essential oils to go with it like eucalyptus, mint or lavender.

Perfect Presents For Getting Out Of Bed In The Morning in Winter

One aspect of modern life that many people have difficulty with is getting out of bed on a cold, dark winter’s morning. Does your wife have a tendency to want to hide under the duvet once the dark evenings and mornings draw in?
If so, one of these gift ideas might just be the thing to coax your hibernating partner out that slumber!

1. Light Therapy Alarm Clock

These alarm clocks are integrated with a lamp whose light gradually increases for a period of time before the wake up time. This gently prepares the body to wake up and feel more energetic. These alarms can have a radio included, an iPod docking station or sounds of nature to let you choose the best sound to wake up to.

2. Coffee Maker with Timer

Do you remember the “tea’s made” machines of a few years ago? Well now you can have your coffee maker with a timer built-in so that a freshly brewed cup of coffee can tempt your wife out of bed.
All too often with rising in the morning it’s the “stick” that makes us move with thoughts like “I’m going to be late”. Well if that’s not working for your wife then perhaps it’s time to try the “carrot“?
The aroma of coffee wafting though to the bedroom might just be the thing to propel your hibernating loved one out of her slumber.

3. SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) Light

One of the things that could be causing the extra sleepiness in bed and also during the daytime is SAD. Many people suffer from this condition which can leave sufferers feeling depressed and sluggish.
Studies have shown that these therapy lamps can balance the body clock, leaving you feeling rested and refreshed.
Such a lamp could be used at home or to bring a ray of light to an office desk, especially one that is not beside a window.

4. White Noise Machine or Sound Conditioner

These device generate a low level “white noise” sound or sounds from nature which masks unwanted noises and creates a sense of calm, making it easier to concentrate, relax and/or sleep.
If your partner can’t get out of bed because they are not getting to sleep at night due to distractions by annoying noises, then this might be the perfect present.

5. Gift Basket of Herbal Remedies

If gadgets and/or drugs don’t fit the bill for getting a good night’s sleep then perhaps a gentler, more natural solution is called for. There are herbs and essential oils with soothing properties that can help a restless sleeper get a good night’s sleep. Here are some ideas:

• Lavender Essential Oil- a few drops on the pillow
• Chamomile tea- drink it in the evening before bed
• Relaxing bubble bath with lavender and/or chamomile
• Eye mask for sleeping
• Massage oil

A Wife Gift Ideas List For Commuters on the Train, Underground, Bus or other Public Transport

Gift Ideas Lists are super-helpful for giving you great ideas, but before we dive in let’s take a second to remember why we’re buyig the gift in the first place. A gift is a token, a way of communicating emotions. It’s all too easy in today’s “disposable” society to forget the true meaning. If you hold on to that then your gift is much more likely to hit the spot.

When you give a gift to your wife, it’s a way of saying that you care about her and that she’s special. If you can keep that in mind and use it help pick the best option that will suit her then you’re on to a winner!

This list is for women who have to travel every day by train, bus or metro. There’s another list of top gift ideas for commuters who travel by car, but this one is aimed at where you wife has her hands free and travelling on some sort of public transport.

To figure out a great gift idea, a great strategy is to ask:
What are the challenges and frustrations here?
Then figure out smart ways to address or alleviate those problems.

Frustration: Noisy environment

1. Noise-cancelling headphones.
Really good headphones reduce unwanted ambient sounds so for the person who really want to be able to “switch off” from their surroundings and concentrate on a book, newspaper or music from their mp3 player, these are a fantastic help.
Keep in mind that she may not have a lot of space in her bag for hug chunky headphones, so go for a small, but effective pair.

Frustration: It’s Boring!

2. MP3 Player
Music can really help relax people and these days there are an incredible range of audio books to choose from for the person who would want to use their commute time to learn. From learning a new language to brushing up on IT skills, there are titles to suit every one. By helping your wife to maximise her time on the commute you could really be giving her a great gift.

3. Portable Video (and Music) Player
The latest generation of iPods and simiar play movies now too. You can play all sorts of video clips on these devices including training in a huge range of subjects and entertainment such as movies and TV. The storage space is incredible on these devices meaning that she can have a portable library of favourite videos to watch anytime she wants a little entertainment or brain trianing.

Frustration: Being Exposed to the Elements

4. Tiny Umbrella.
It can be frustrating for commuters when it come to rain. To carry an umbrella or not. If you don’t take one then you’re bound to get rained on, And if you do take one then you have to lug it around with you, in a cramped environment, and most likely leave it behind someplace! If, on the other hand you have a teeny, but very good quality umbrella tucked away for emergencies in your bag (that your clever husband gave to you) then you get the best of both worlds.
Try to get one a case so it can be packed away wet and stored in her bag without drenching everything else in the bag.

OK, So What is the Point of Buying Your Wife a Gift?

So ask yourself, what is it you are trying to achieve when you give a gift? Of course, it’s to make the other person happy. We want to show them that we care and that we understand, at least a little, about them.

Mind-reading not required

Very often when coming up with wife gift ideas it can feel like we need to be a mind-reader in order to figure out what the perfect present would be! The real secret of getting it right every time for your wife is understanding what she values. Given that you already live together it should be relatively easy to find out in detail what that is, what she likes and dislikes!
I write relatively, because there is some work to be done, but the upside is that the very nature of this “work” to discover more about your wife will actually improve your relationship!

Perfect present stealth techniques

You must start asking questions, when she least expects them. Quiz her about gifts in general:

• the best present she ever received
• the worst present she ever received.

Ask why, what was it that made it the best or the worst. To stay safe here, you might want to ask about gifts that you did not give! Instead ask about gifts that your wife received from other people, and listen to her stories. Listen carefully for clues you can use. Are there any recurring themes? Things that are sure-fire winners (or losers)?
Does she have a special interest in collecting? What are all her hobbies and interests? Ask her to tell you why she enjoys a certain a thing.

Gift giving is a science

Remember that gift giving is a science. People who are amazing at giving gifts may make it look like a talent or an art, and in many ways it is, but it can be learned. By far the best way of coming of with great wife gift ideas is to know your wife’s likes and dislikes, in detail. It can take a bit of work, plenty of little conversations and digging up of memories from her past, but if you’re committed to being the best gift-giver that you can be then it’s worth the effort!