My boyfriend is turning 38 at the weekend. I am struggling for ideas for what to buy him and in true traditional style i have left it til last minute!!
At christmas i went with originality and bought him sponsorship of a white tiger at a safari park in the west midlands - i so wish i hadnt now...how can i top that?!!! :-)
Any ideas???  I bought him aftershave for crimbo and valentines (as well as other things) so thats out. He's not a jewlerry person. And i've bought him little odds & sods from his kids.
I AM SO STUCK - HELP!!!
The only thing i can think of is a leather wallet (not much!) and im thinking of getting a tattoo i have on my lower back extended to include his name/initials but the waiting list is nearly 2 weeks so i wont be able to reveal it at the weekend on his birthday

http://www.iwantoneofthose.com

no specific ideas but this site is quite good, syuff you do not need but really really want.....in other words daft stuff but some are quite cheap and good fun.
I usually get some bits for OH and daughter at xmas from them.
Chris

Concert tickets? A special day/evening out?
It was my husband's birthday at the weekend and we went on an outing to the Botanic Gardens, and I got him some gardening stuff (obviously choice of outing depending  on what your OH is into!) Also got my husband chocs and beer (can't go wrong!) and some summer clothes (which with weather like this he may never need)

Does he have a nice watch, alot of men don't like rings etc but a real manly watch went down a treat with my husband. Also how about booking a night away or weekend, even if you can't go this weekend. it's something to look forward to and you can tell him your take some sexy undies for a night of passion. think most men would go for that. 

How about a 'red letter' day.  i.e. falconry, parachute jump, scuba lesson etc.  Quite expensive but unusual

I had trouble with buying presents for my OH ...So I asked him what he had wanted when he was a child that he never got.

Last year he had a space hopper and a scaleletrics.....He was 40!

I got a flying lesson for my OH and it only cost about £40 :)

A remote control helicopter!  My mum bought OH one for Xmas....you wouldn't believe how much fun he has had with it, & you can get one at a very reasonable price......& he's also 38..........LOL  Boys & their toys.....:)

Thanks all.

Am booked in for my tattoo for next week Going to be a couple hours work and cost up to £120 so im counting some of that as his birthday prezzie as it does include his name & is a way of showing my commitment to him :-)
I also got a very nice watch and some clothes.

Thanks for all the advice

hope he has a very happy birthday xx

Thank you. So do i :-) 

It could be just me, but surely a tattoo on yourself isn't much of a present for someone else, unless they choose the design, of course. If he really likes tattoos, why not pay for one for him? It seems a bit like buying him a car that he's not allowed to drive!

Well I do know that some people consider tattoos to be body art - but personally, the term "slag tags" comes more often to my mind when I see some tattooed laydees!

To be honest I am sure he would already know about your commitment without you spending £120 on a tattoo with his name on !

Not saying anything at all will go wrong with your relationship but it does happen (been there myself but no tattoos ;) ) so you will have it for the rest of your life or you would have to go through painful lazer treatment to have it removed. It has happened to people :)

I should imagine he will be happy enough with the other presents you have got him !

You may not like me saying this but being a mature person myself it occurs to me that you might want to ask a 38 year old if he would find that tasteful ;-)

The makers of Action Man have released  some copies of the original figures , my Hubby bought himself the one in a red suit which talks  and has a parachute , for Xmas .They can be bought in model shops
The remote helicopter is also a good one - boys and their toys !

I am a bit unsure about the tattoo , it seems more like a commitment from you than a pressie for him - but you know your BF best and if that is something that he would like .

>To be honest I am sure he would already know about your commitment without you spending £120 on a tattoo with his name on !

Not saying anything at all will go wrong with your relationship but it does happen

Have to agree with LJS.  I have a couple of tattoos and am in a very committed relationship (12 years) but I wouldn't dream of having OH's name or initials tattooed on my.  I f I was in the market for another tat, I'd perhaps consider something we'd designed together or something that was particularly symbolic of our relationship but if it all goes pear-shaped some day, I wouldn't want to be left with his name branded on me.

I'm not sure I'd want to be permanently marked as being someone else's property.

after talking to Dave online at the very start of our relationship i popped out and had his name tattooed on my spine in japanese
he is overwhelmed by it and every night kisses it 7 years on..i am 43 and he is 46 so not everyone is the same thankfully
as for his 40th birthday i didnt have much money so travelled from wales to meet him at nottingham dressed in a basque and stockings and thigh length black boots and a long white fur coat...i told him to meet me in Alders department store by the bed section at 2.. i arrived and dropped my coat and sang happy birthday....there are some things mastercard cant buy,the look on his face is one!
he loved it and all his friends want their wives to do the same but they wont....the only problem now is that i can never top it

> the only problem now is that i can never top it

How about jumping naked out of a cake in the food section of M@rks and Spencers ?!!!!!!!!!

> bought him sponsorship of a white tiger at a safari park in the west midlands - i so wish i hadnt now...how can i top that?!!! :-)
>

take him to visit his tiger :)

and arrange another gift to give him on the visit, and maybe take a nice picnic?

personally my bf's favorite thing i've ever given him was not a present but an evening. he's very into all things russian- vodka, dostoyevsky (sp?) etc so i arranged a russian themed evening. i made a multi course russian type meal, bought night watch (which is a russian film he fancied seeing), one of his presents was some terrific vodka (actually kazakstani but close enough!), i printed russian writers poems and stuck them all over my room as well as beautiful landscapes and russian phrases i wrote out (such as happy birthday and Vodka Comrade!) and spent the evening in a large fake fur coat :) sounds mad i know but he loved it for the effort i put in.

> I had trouble with buying presents for my OH ...So I asked him what he had wanted when he was a child that he never got.
>
> Last year he had a space hopper and a scaleletrics.....He was 40!

brilliant ideas and brilliant gifts!

>>but if it all goes pear-shaped some day, I wouldn't want to be left with his name branded on me.

> I'm not sure I'd want to be permanently marked as being someone else's property.

me to...so many possible bad repercussions

> How about jumping naked out of a cake in the food section of M@rks and Spencers ?!!!!!!!!!

What - get arrested for his birthday in your birthday suit? :-D

memorable though!!

> What - get arrested for his birthday in your birthday suit?

You could always make effective use of cherries and squirty cream !!!!

:-D

You could always make effective use of cherries and squirty cream !!!!

that one has already been done for his 43rd birthday....

Everyone is entitled to an opinion but i really feel the need to reply to some of the comments - maybe Lokis Mum you do think of tattoos as a 'slag tag',  i however think it is art and there is no better art form than the body so why not decorate it. im not talking a sailors anchor on my arm but something feminine and tasteful.
Yes, it is a huge commitment to have someone elses name adourning ones body - thats the whole point of me doing it. Its easier to get out of marriage than it is to remove a tattoo so by doing something like this is showing my commitment. We have been through a lot already in a short space of time, this is meant to be. He is getting my name on his wrist and i want to surprise him with this. I know him better that anyone and as a fan of tattoos - and of course a fan of me and my body :-)  i know he is going to absolutely love it. I cant wait to tell him at the weekend and get it done next week!!!

P.S thatnk you for the positivity inthemist :-)  sometimes its good to be reckless and 'just do it' :-)

Fair enough but I think you are very wrong to consider this a bigger commitment than marriage!  You may find it difficult to remove the tattoo but it will not prevent you walking away from the person whose name you have inked perfectly easily nor they from you, which is the point people are making really.

> P.S thatnk you for the positivity inthemist :-)  sometimes its good to be reckless and 'just do it'

Yes, but privately might be better and spare the bystander ;-)

how about http://www.paintballgames.co.uk/paintball-voucher.html
i got my son his 22 nearly, a voucher for xmas its for 8 people to go paintballing lasts a year he can go anytime within this year and my OH is 38 he was very keen on the idea i have to get one for him now as he wants to try it,

Its easier to get out of marriage than it is to remove a tattoo So have you ever been married then as really think saying this is slightly naive as getting out of a marriage can take a great deal of courage , thought and great pain for many people.

> maybe Lokis Mum you do think of tattoos as a 'slag tag'

I'm not the only one - they are also referred to as "tramp stamps" if you'd prefer - see http://chat.metro.co.uk/metro/threadnonInd.jsp?forum=212&thread=284353&message=758623

And personally, I'd prefer to see the commitment of marriage rather than a brand ....and if a marriage doesn't work out - you can always sell your wedding band for the gold in it (providing, of course that it is more than 9ct!)

;)

> maybe Lokis Mum you do think of tattoos as a 'slag tag'

According to that fount of all knowledge, Wikipedia, lower back tattoos are sometimes considered to be a sign of promiscuity.

To be really romantic and demonstrate your commitment to him, why don't you propose to him at the party?

How about a message (pampering) and then out for a nice supper just the two of you....

Or if he likes tattoo's book him an appt...

My hubby has a back piece on going and to get into the guy is a lil over a year wait- he's very booked up but he's well worth it :-)

Freds mum..my motto is and always has been to live life to the full..
you are a long time dead and lets face it life is for living..
my lover died in 1990 and from then on i have done what i want when i want..maybe a lot of people dont like me for this but hey who cares? i dont..i went on telly to air my dirty laundry(not jeremy kyle) many years ago just because it was a day out..and had a great time..some people refused to talk to me after that.no problem it weeds out the people who are not true friends..i am impulsive i make rash decisions but thats me..Dave loves me and accepts that this is me..your fella will love what you give him and im sure your tattoo will look lovely my 3 do..i have one on my lower back how it makes me promiscuious i dont know as i have been with the same fella for 7 years...as for Marriage i tried it once for a year  hated it and got rid(very easily) would much prefer to have another tattoo to be honest..have a great day...now i need to plan Daves next birthday....
we have to accept that everybody is different but you only get one chance at life so make it count.

Thank you inthemistuk. Was great reading your post :-) Cant be bothered to comment on some of the others!

FredsMum - I hope you and your OH are delighted with your tattoo. It's not something I am likely to ever do, but if that's something you love then go for it, I agree life is too short so do what makes you happy! And I hope the birthday at the weekend was a great one.

Yes, thankyou. had a lovely weekend, just a shame his ex wife had to try and spoil it...but thats a whole other story!!!
In the grand scheme of things life is very very short and too much time is wasted worrying or pondering about the small things IMO. Life life to the full is my motto :-)

god dont you love ex wives!!!!? we have a soon to be ex wife at this end and she drives me potty.....
move on love thats what i say.....pay your own bills move out of the 4 bed house, stop expecting me to fund your bills so you can go on holiday all the time! and find someone who will put up with you...

Please mind your language. 
I suppose the perspective is different from the ex wifes point of view though.  There are always two sides to things.

the prospective is the same from her side..all children have left home and she lives in the family 4 bed house unable to afford to pay bills but yet goes on holiday to Germany.turkey.india and tunisia!
the house is up for sale and the sold sign cant go up quick enough ..then maybe we can go on holiday instead of paying 600 pounds a month mortgage then electric bills and gas bills ...some people have it all their own way....

>the prospective is the same from her side

I daresay it depends on who left whom, and what broke the marriage.

i broke the marriage (he was my first love) he left her but only moved in with me 6 years later...he has put his kids through uni and seen them more times than he ever did when he was living at home...now its time for her to move on...she has had several fellas but enjoys her life too much having it all funded by me!

Perhaps she thinks that it is a fitting exchange - you took her husband so she is taking your money :-)

Compensation payments, if you like.

i didnt take him he came willingly . surely my money would be better spent on her daughters? i too pay for them to have a relativly debt free existance at uni..this i dont mind at all..one graduates in July